Canal and River Trust’s (CRT) recent “independent” Licence Commission has recommended that the Rivers Only licence should be abolished following a visit to Hackney Wick. The Rivers Only licence, which is enshrined in the 1971 British Waterways Act, allows a 40% discount on boats which only navigate on a number of rivers managed by CRT, including the Lee and Stort Navigations. Although they suggest that the Rivers Only licence would be phased out over a period of 3 years, its withdrawal will result in a 67% increase in what those who currently use it will pay.
The visit to the popular Hackney Wick area, led by CRT, appears to have convinced the Commission that the Rivers Only licence is in fact a licence to avoid navigation, and is an invitation to overwhelm an area. It is beyond belief that CRT did not shepherd them towards this conclusion. At no point do they acknowledge CRT’s (and BW before it) historical attacks on boaters who choose to make the Lee their home.
The Commission’s claim (and therefore the opinion of CRT, as they have endorsed the report) that there are too many boats on the Lee, is in stark contrast to CRT’s stance when they tried to introduce the hare-brained “Safety Zones”. Despite this potentially removing hundreds of casual moorings from the Lee, CRT said there would still be plenty of room for boaters without a home mooring to tie up.
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