NABO News Editorials

NABO News Editorial July 2018

Details: Category: NN Editorials; Published: Thursday, 28 June 2018 22:07; Hits: 134

The three Rs

- Rebranding, reorganisation and reactions

Editor, Peter Fellows, takes the collective pulse of boaters after the latest changes by CRT.

CRT rebranding continues to provoke reactions, with many questioning why signs that are only read by boaters were changed within days of the relaunch ‒ most boaters know what CRT is. Why not focus the marketing effort on the claimed 90% of people who apparently don’t know that CRT is the authority that manages their nearby waterway? (And also work towards changing the attitudes of some of these people so that they see canals as a resource, rather than a convenient dump for the detritus they no longer want). It would seem that someone in Government must have given CRT the nod that ‘health and wellbeing’ is where the money lies in future. If this is not the case, the change in focus is a huge gamble. Peter Underwood from ‘The Floater’ believes there is another way to fund the Trust and I have included a recent editorial explaining his view. I have also included a letter to boaters from Richard Parry on the rebranding, together with a response from Stella Ridgway and a selection of comments from boaters on social media. There is also a justification for the new logo from its designer. Elsewhere, David Fletcher explains what we need members to do in the light of the new General Data Protection Regulation, together with an update on changes to the way that NABO communicates with its membership.

NABO News Editorial April 2018

Details: Category: NN Editorials; Published: Sunday, 03 June 2018 10:22; Hits: 187

Editorial

From the Middle Level to the high seas

Editor, Peter Fellows has a diverse edition for Spring.

I was pleased to see that CRT has suspended the sale of the freehold to Blowers Green Pumphouse (see January’s NABO News), but wish that the relevant advisory groups could review such proposals before they go ahead. CRT has published the results of its licensing consultation, reviewed by Mark Tizard. Most narrowboaters will have to pay about 5% more for their licences year-on-year, so the exercise was not exactly ‘revenue-neutral’ – at least not for boaters. Widebeam owners will have to pay more, but not as much as many feared. During the review, many boaters didn’t see the need for any changes, so with no majority agreement to change anything much, CRT can claim to have listened to its ‘customers’. However, it is difficult to see how the outcome will reduce CRT’s licensing costs, as the system now seems to be more complicated, rather than the intended simplification.

NABO News Editorial Winter 17

Details: Category: NN Editorials; Published: Sunday, 10 December 2017 21:49; Hits: 1186

Is anyone listening?

Editor Peter Fellows has a little rant

As 2017 draws to a close, it is clear that CRT is focussed on its grant renewal, which will require it to demonstrate to Government that it has widespread popular support. This means promoting the waterways to millions of walkers, cyclists, canoeists and gongoozlers as part of its wellbeing or ‘green gym’ campaign. The 35,000 boaters are incidental to this. As a result, NABO is becoming increasingly concerned that its voice is not being listened to by senior CRT managers and directors. We are no longer a ‘critical friend’; just critical. Members who attended the AGM in November discussed the long list of recent decisions by CRT that have disregarded the advice offered by NABO (and CRT’s National Advisory Groups), and Fly on the Wall recorded some of these for this issue. There is also an article by Jenny Maxwell, reprinted from a Facebook forum, which sums up the frustrations felt by a large number of boaters and boating organisations. We will wait to see if the recent restructuring of senior CRT staff makes any difference. But let’s not hold our breath ‒ none has boating experience and, with the replacement of Trustee, John Dodwell, this means that there are now no boaters on the CRT Board. The EA doesn’t fare any better: having consulted on proposed increases to boat registration fees, it ignored the consultation findings and went ahead with the original proposals for steep hikes in the costs. A diligent boater has also found that EA’s introduction of charges for mooring on the Thames is illegal.

NABO News Editorial Oct 17

Details: Category: NN Editorials; Published: Monday, 16 October 2017 21:51; Hits: 1459

Consultations, towpath cycling and veg management

Editor Peter Fellows has much for members to comment on:

Editorial July 2017

Details: Category: NN Editorials; Published: Wednesday, 12 July 2017 11:08; Hits: 2207

Coping with canoes

Editor, Peter Fellows welcomes clarification by CRT

Canoeists feature more prominently in this issue than previously, with news of new canoe slipways on the Llangollen, the opening of Foulridge Tunnel on the L&L to canoeists, and problems with some canoeists wanting to share locks with boats. While NABO welcomes the increased use of the waterways by as many people as possible, its main concern in relation to canoeists is safety ‒ it doesn’t take much imagination to see who will come off worse in situations where a canoe and a 12-tonne boat are in too close proximity ‒ such as a lock or a tunnel. So it is welcome that Jon Horsfall, CRT’s interim head of boating, has restated its policy on unpowered craft and has begun a process with British Canoeing to promote clear and straightforward information to increase awareness of what canoeists can and cannot do.

Although we have had occasional articles over the years on technical aspects of boating, I would like to print more, so I have introduced the first of a new series with a look at safety aspects of fuels on board. If you have specialist knowledge of any aspect of boat design, construction, equipment, facilities or maintenance, or just some handy technical tips that you’ve come across, please let me know. I’ve also repeated my request in the last issue for cartoons and a crossword compiler, but I’m pleased to report that we will hopefully soon have a new ‘Rewind’ column in each issue.

Elsewhere, there are reports from three of NABO’s regional reps; Howard Anguish in the North-east, Mike Rodd in Wales and Alison Tuck in the West Midlands. Mark Tizard has views on how boaters can be better ‘friends’ with CRT, which would be in the interests of both parties, and Helen Hutt recounts her first experience of boating along the Mon & Brec. Enjoy the summer (as I write this, I can’t believe it will already be mid-summer in a few days time). The next issue will be in October, so give me a wave if we pass on the north-west canals over the coming weeks.

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BOAT OWNERS