I know most of you here are sea boaters, but if you ever holiday on EA
waters you are facing a massive license hike as announced recently. If you
visit BW controlled rivers (Trent, Lea & Severn) the same applies.
The bottom line is that DEFRA have slashed the grants they pass on to both
EA & BW so both are being forced to raise licensed by two or three times
inflation over a number of years. I have no idea where the Broads
Authority
gets its government money - but if its via DEFRA expect the same.
Once again boaters are being singled out for massive price rises AND it
looks very much as if the whole waterways network is in imminent danger.
One
major breach on certain parts of the canal system may well have the whole
canal closed. If you moor in a BW or EA locked harbour I ask you to
consider
who will pay if the lock suffers major problems.
If you have ever taken your family for a walk along a towpath on a sunny
afternoon think on. That activity is threatened and would you even want to
if it involved forcing your way through overgrown vegetation, beside a
stinking, stagnant derelict canal.
Please visit www.saveourwaterways.org.uk to see what it is all about and
how you can help.
We very urgently need MPs to support an early day motion, so please write
to
your MP.
There is also a floating protest planned in January outside Parliament.
Unfortunately the EA & BW lock closures have conspired to prevent the
majority of canal and river boaters getting there - but it will not
prevent
estuary and east coast lending support.
Thinking on that - I understand the EA has already had to cut flood
defence
budgets, think on.
A heartfelt thanks for any support you feel able to offer.
--
Tony Brooks
www.TB-Training.co.uk
--
Tony Brooks
www.TB-Training.co.uk
