C&RT is judged as making good progress in its first 2 years but concerns include the need for a moorings strategy & lack of funding from Waterways Partnerships.
The All Party Parliamentary Group for the Waterways (APPG) has published its second report on the progress made by the Canal & River Trust (CRT) since its creation in 2012.
Perhaps the most important recommendation is that to maximise the income, benefits and stability for the waterways, the transfer of Environment Agency (EA) navigations to the CRT should proceed within the next Parliament: The cost of due diligence for the transfer to be split between Government, the CRT the EA. (St Ives on the River Great Ouse right)
On funding it says that CRT should continue to build and develop funding streams to maximise income to the waterways and to increase advertising of repair and restoration projects to develop awareness of its work among the public and waterway users. As part of this CRT should continue developing good communication with stakeholders.
Waterway Partnerships should follow the suggestions and recommendations made in the 2013 APPG Waterway’s Report, including that they have clarity of their financial role in local co-operation with other groups and that all their activities should be self-funded by the end of 2014.
The CRT should continue to increase the number of volunteers on the waterways and be prepared to manage them and work closer with its partners and stakeholders to encourage young people and ethnic minorities on to the waterways. It should also consults all relevant stakeholders when planning repair and maintenance work.
There is emphasis on creating a clear strategy on mooring policy in consultation with stakeholders and to distribute this information to boaters; also to develop local solutions where appropriate and for these to fit within CRT’s national mooring strategy.
New moorings and facilities should be created where appropriate to reduce congestion and help increase the socio-economic diversity of the waterways with the system of auctioning of moorings favouring this.
The full report can be viewed online here.
Thanks to Harry Arnold and Waterway Images for this report and image.
