London boats ‘explosion’ and infrastucture can’t cope

Just how many people do now live on London’s waterways, 5,000, 10,000, 15,000? There is no doubt it is a rapidly rising number. A 57% increase since 2012 has prompted CRT to try to find out, but their survey doesn’t clarify numbers much.

CRT counted 3675 boats on its London waterways* during the 12 months up to August 2016. This does not include boats moored on the Thames, not managed by the Canal & River Trust. The survey suggested that 69% of those boats are being lived on, so about 2,500 liveaboard boats. 43% of boaters claimed to live alone, but even with an average of 2 people per boat that would suggest about 5,000 people. Also only 36% of surveys were returned, so given an amount of under-reporting the figure could easily be higher.

A London Assembly report ‘Moor or Less’, back in 2013, estimated 10,000 could be living on London’s canals and rivers and this figure has been widely quoted in press and media articles glamorising the economic benefits of Londoners living afloat, such as ‘How young Londoners can cheat rising house prices‘ in the Telegraph. So if there are now 57% more boats than in 2012 that could now be going on for 15,000 London liveaboards!

Matthew Symonds, CRT boating strategy & engagement manager summarises the reasons for their survey; “London’s waterways are for all boaters and it’s important that we manage the space fairly for everyone. The survey has given us greater insight into who’s living on our waterways and their needs. Now is our opportunity to gather partners together across the board to make sure that this happens.”

“Living afloat is not the same as living in a house but for many people the lower-cost entry point, not to mention the attractions of a strong community, low-impact living and the charms of the waterway environment, means that it is an attractive option. Our advice is not to see living aboard as a way of saving money as there can be many hidden costs, including time: looking after your boat can be like having a part-time job! If you live on your boat, especially if you continuously cruise, you need regular and consistent access to mooring space and facilities and, in an increasingly busy environment, this can be a challenge: the growth in boat numbers is moving at a faster pace than we can upgrade the infrastructure. We are looking at ways we can improve things through our London Mooring Strategy, which aims to address the unique challenges and opportunities of boating in the capital, and these results will help inform its development.

The IWA have also recently emphasised that facilities for boaters in London are hopelessly inadequate to meet spiralling demand from both prospective residents and visitors. For instance in central London – TfL’s Zones 1&2 – there are only seven public water points, five sewage and five refuse disposal facilities to serve all of London’s resident and visiting boaters. In addition, moorings are also seriously overcrowded, with boats frequently moored three abreast, presenting potentially significant risks to occupants in the event of fire.

The IWA is also maintaining its call on Canal & River Trust not to issue ‘continuous cruising’ licences to people who cannot or do not intend to comply with the statutory requirements, and to enforce mooring rules fairly but firmly in London and elsewhere for the benefit of all in the boating community.

*The Trust’s London waterways comprise the Grand Union Canal (to Rickmansworth), the Regent’s Canal, the River Lee Navigation (to Hertford), the River Stort Navigation (to Bishop’s Stortford), the Hertford Union Canal and the Limehouse Cut.

You can  download the CRT Who’s on London’s Boats survey – summary report as a pdf.