Bargees against London Moorings plan

THE National Bargee Travellers Association London believe that the recent announcement by Canal & River Trust (Winter Mooring Permits) stating that it is reducing the time boats can stay on London moorings will  not be of benefit.

CaRT claims these changes are 'to ensure that some popular locations can be shared more fairly by a wide range of boaters', writes the Association's London Acting Chairman, Marcus Trower.

Lack of rings

We do not believe that reducing the time limit on moorings will help to share the network. The real problem is a lack of mooring rings.

There is plenty of towpath in Central London that has been concreted over. The Trust should be putting mooring rings in these places, not reducing limits on mooring stays.

Reducing time limits on Visitor Moorings only makes life harder for Bargee Travellers and for travelling boaters with home moorings who wish to keep their boats moored in Central London for a two-week period. Bargee Travellers are being pushed off Central mooring locations and being pushed out of London and we will not put up with this.

Opposed

The National Bargee Travellers Association London is opposed to any reduction in mooring space and any imposition of mooring time limits of less than 14 days. Instead, we support the placement of more mooring rings.