'Bargees' worried about Canal & River Trust's licensing review

THE members of the National Bargee Travellers Association are concerned about the current licensing review being held by Canal & River Trust.

This association that represents many who tend to stay in one area on a continuous cruiser licence believe that the review will mean much more stricter rules as to movement of boats on this licence.

End to their way of life

The review that will come to fruition in September, the members believe, will signal the end to their way of life and stop once and for all such as the nightly swapping of places in certain areas and the very limited movement of their boats.

These are the people that do not pay for a home mooring but congregate around certain areas where the boat owners either have work or have children at school, just moving short distances and then returning, something that is against the present rules, that the trust is somewhat lax to enforce.

This means that both cruising boaters who have home moorings and genuine continuous cruisers are unable to find moorings at desirable places as they are taken up.

The review is being applied by a trust's commission, which it is understood is asking boaters their views, from which it tells it will act upon these to form how its licensing is applied and regulated in the future.

Not independent

This is not really independent, being run by the trust's people. With the National Bargee Travellers Association believing it will be used against its community and so change the legislation around licensing, which may be detrimental to itinerant boaters.

As has the recent closing of moorings to these people on the Lee & Stort Navigation. With the National Bargee Travellers Association even taking their complaints to Parliament.