Why no licence suspension?

Published: Friday, 19 February 2021

DURING the lockdown early last year we had a licence suspension, but not this time, Graham Fairly writes.

This lockdown has been going on since the 5th January, and though Canal & River Trust say 'you should not be making short trips or breaks on your boat for leisure purposes, these are classed as non-essential journeys', meaning we leisure boaters cannot use our boats, we still have to pay a boating licence during the period.

Demands payment

As someone on your site said, it is illegal to demand payment for a service that is not given, or words to that effect, but that is what the trust is doing, taking money from us though we are told we cannot use our boats.

When I contacted the trust I was refered to the web page that says:

'All navigation in England and Wales should be limited to essential use only. Boaters who are not currently occupying their boat should not take short overnight breaks on their boat during the period. Those living aboard are advised to limit their navigation, moving only a minimal amount to access essential facilities or services when necessary'.

As leisure boating can in no way be regarded as 'essential use' we are thus not allowed to use the waterways, yet we still have to pay for their use.