Inland Waterways

The Canal & River Trust annual report shows progress despite significant challenges

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Canal & River Trust annual report shows progress despite significant challenges
Canal & River Trust annual report shows progress despite significant challenges

Boating numbers and income are up for 2019/20 according to the annual report and accounts published by the Canal & River Trust. The report charts a year when income, volunteering, and spend on the trust’s charitable activities grew to record levels. Income increased by £6.1m to £216.1m and spend on charitable activities increased by £10.9m, with underlying expenditure on maintenance, repairs and infrastructure works continuing to grow.

Whilst boating was put on hold for most during the initial stages of the Covid-19 lockdown, there was a small growth in boat numbers and income from boating and Continue reading “The Canal & River Trust annual report shows progress despite significant challenges”

The bizarre account of how RCR saved 49 boats on the River Avon in an18 hour shift

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RCR saved 49 boats on the River Avon in an18 hour shift
RCR saved 49 boats on the River Avon in an18 hour shift

A report at Somerset Live reveals how the RCR (River Canal Rescue) team managed to pull off a huge logistical feat to save 49 canal boats in one 18 hour shift in Bath. Disaster struck on the Kennet and Avon Canal when a sluice gate broke at Twerton at September 15. Water rapidly drained from the canal and in the space of an hour no more than a trickle was left.

Several boats were capsized completely when their tight moorings pulled them in the wrong direction as the water disappeared. In total 49 canal boats became stranded in thick silt for several days, with boats perched precariously on concrete slabs, on their sides or submerged in filthy water.

RCR is regularly called in to attend incidents with canal boats often involving Continue reading “The bizarre account of how RCR saved 49 boats on the River Avon in an18 hour shift”

Canal & River Trust set to spend £45 million on waterways works this winter

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Canal & River Trust set to spend £45 million on waterways works
Canal & River Trust set to spend £45 million on waterways works

The Canal & River Trust is planning to carry out a £45.1 million programme of repairs on waterways across England & Wales this winter, replacing lock gates, dredging to ensure the water is deep enough for boats, and carrying out a host of tasks to keep the 200-year old network open and help ensure its resilience to climate change.

Despite forecasting a reduction of income of around 10% (£20 million) due to the pandemic, the trust has been able to prioritise spending to maintain a full winter works programme of 128 large-scale repairs across 50 canal and river navigations. Carried out by their in-house team and specialist contractors, the works take in the World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, famous lock flights Caen Continue reading “Canal & River Trust set to spend £45 million on waterways works this winter”

Make your views on red diesel known to the UK Government by 1 October 2020

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The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) is urging users of diesel propelled craft, particularly private pleasure craft, to have their say on the future of red diesel. It’s not about the colour, tax status or price, says the RYA, it’s about existing supply needs.

A consultation has been launched by HMRC about the proposed changes to the rules and you have until 1 October 2020 to read the proposals and make your views known.

At this year’s Spring Budget, Chancellor Rishi Sunak shared plans for the intended removal of entitlement to use red diesel from April 2022, except for the agriculture sector (including forestry, horticulture and fish farming), railways, and where diesel is used to power non-commercial heating systems, such as in homes, narrowboats and places of worship.

The Government’s looking for evidence as to whether other sectors, including recreational boating, should be allowed to maintain use of the fuel beyond April 2022. The decision by the Government to withdraw red diesel from wider use has been motivated by its intention to tackle climate change by incentivising businesses to improve the energy efficiency of their products.

The RYA says it supports a move to increase energy efficiency in the short term and to develop a pathway to zero carbon for all sectors in line with UN goals. But the RYA’s case for retaining red diesel is about existing supply needs. Recreational boaters already pay the full rate of duty and VAT when purchasing fuel for the purposes of propulsion.

The RYA will be looking at the proposals to reform the tax treatment of red diesel to see how this might affect the supply of fuel for recreational use.

The further west and north you travel in the UK the more likely it is that you will have to rely on waterside outlets that only supply red diesel for commercial purposes, such as to fishing fleets, says the RYA. In many remote places, the limited quantities of fuel used by recreational craft do not warrant the cost of installing additional equipment to supply white diesel for the recreational boating sector.

If the Government removes the entitlement to use red diesel from most sectors from April 2022 and white diesel is consequently made as widely available as red diesel is now, the supply of fuel will not be affected.

Can UK waterways business be saved?

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“The patient is being left to die.” Those were the stark words used by Paul Rodgers to describe how grave he sees the situation that UK waterways holiday hire companies, boatyards, boatbuilders, training operations, marinas, boat clubs and other waterways businesses find themselves in thanks to the collapse in business following the COVID-19 related shutdown.

There are now fears among UK waterways bodies of the demise of much of the sector as a result of the loss of this summer’s business – unless an immediate rescue package is put together.

Continue reading “Can UK waterways business be saved?”

IWA: Inland waterways heritage loss needs to stop urges new report

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IWA has launched the first part of a two-part report
IWA has launched the first part of a two-part report

The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) has launched the first part of a two-part report which aims to highlight the significance of waterways heritage across the UK. The report is part of the IWAs on-going campaign to protect waterways heritage, the need for which was uncovered as part of their ‘Value of Inland Waterways’ report authored by Nicki Schiessel Harvey, which launched last year.

IWA has joined forces with the Historic Narrow Boat Club, National Historic Ships UK and the Railway & Canal Historical Society, who have endorsed the report, and with Historic England who has provided support and research evidence.

The report is focusing on the need for better protection of waterways heritage assets but is also calling on Continue reading “IWA: Inland waterways heritage loss needs to stop urges new report”

Red diesel future for boaters in the UK

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The future of red diesel for boaters in the UK
The future of red diesel for boaters in the UK

The Cruising Association’s Regulations and Technical Services group (RATS) has been in communication with HMRC and confirmed, as a result of the March Budget Statement, that it is their intention to legislate that red diesel in the United Kingdom can only be used in agricultural equipment, on the railways and for non-commercial heating from 1st April 2022.

Since the propulsion of waterborne craft does not fit into these categories, it is HMRC’s intention that they will have to use white diesel for this purpose. The duty on white diesel for boats will be the same as the full rate paid on white road diesel in the UK. This means that the present so called ’60/40′ fuel duty split will disappear but commercial vessels, such as fishing boats, will still be able to claim a rebate on the full rate through their ‘Marine Voyages Relief’ scheme.

HMRC are exploring the issues involved in introducing a scheme that allows private pleasure craft to pay Continue reading “Red diesel future for boaters in the UK”

The RIVER project designed to elimate CO2 emissions underway

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The RIVER project underway
The RIVER project underway

Engineers at Aqueduct Marina have won a tender to work on the RIVER project, a new initiative they believe could help shape the development of the next generation of boat engines.

The RIVER project, of which a new boat to be built by Aqueduct Marina for the Canal & River Trust will play a major part, consists of nine partners from five EU states and five associated partners involved in the capture, storage, treatment of CO2 and waterways.

The project aims to develop internal combustion engines to virtually eliminate CO2 emissions. Continue reading “The RIVER project designed to elimate CO2 emissions underway”

Disability badge scheme for boaters developed by CRT

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CRT disability badge
CRT disability badge

Following the rumours that the Canal & River Trust (CRT) was considering a boating equivalent of the disabled blue badges (disability badge) seen in UK car windows, the Trust has now launched the scheme after developing it with the help of a series of meetings and an online Q&A session with disabled boaters.

A ‘Canal & River Trust Aware’ window disability badge (pictured) will be sent to all boaters with an ‘agreed equality adjustment’ – which usually means an agreement with CRT that the requirements to move (to conform with CRT’s interpretation of the legal requirement for boats without a home mooring to cruise) have been Continue reading “Disability badge scheme for boaters developed by CRT”

Rothen Group completes complex canal wall repair following inclement weather

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Rothen Group completes complex canal wall repair
Rothen Group completes complex canal wall repair

The Rothen Group was called upon to help repair a stretch of the Llangollen Canal after heavy rain caused substantial damage to the canal wall. A 20m section of the canal, which links north wales and south Cheshire, was damaged during Storm Miguel resulting in erosion that threatened to close the busy stretch near Marbury. When Kier was contracted by the Canal & River Trust to undertake the work, it became rapidly apparent that the rural location presented challenges.

“The nature and location of the site meant that what should have been a Continue reading “Rothen Group completes complex canal wall repair following inclement weather”

‘Red diesel entitlement to be removed’ consultation announce

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UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak has shared plans to review the current use of red diesel.  The government is set to consult with red diesel users to determine whether continued access to the fuel is justifiable. The consultation will be conducted with a view to remove the entitlement to red diesel use, except for agricultural, rail and non-commercial heating purposes, by April 2022.

Commercial boats on open waters, including ferries and fishing boats, will remain entitled to the Marine Voyages Relief so will not face a charge increase if the entitlement to use red diesel is revoked. Continue reading “‘Red diesel entitlement to be removed’ consultation announce”

HS2: Inland Waterways Association pledges to protect UK canal network

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IWA pledges to protect UK canal network from HS2
IWA pledges to protect UK canal network from HS2

Following the UK Government’s recent announcement that the High Speed Rail project HS2 will now go ahead, the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) says it will continue their decade-long campaign to protect the waterways from the worst effects of its construction and operation.

IWA has already achieved several changes to the project since 2010 but continues to be concerned about its noise impacts on many waterways and its damaging effects on some canal restoration schemes. Continue reading “HS2: Inland Waterways Association pledges to protect UK canal network”

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