Environment Agency increases charges
INLAND WATERWAYS: The Environment Agency (EA) is increasing its navigation charges by the consumer price index - plus 2% per year - in 2012, 2013 and 2014, writes Harry Arnold.
This means navigation charges will increase by 6.4% from January 2012. The EA says having listened to the concerns of the boating community it plans to review the impact of increases annually.
It will also examine economic and other pressures on registration numbers and review subsequent increases for 2013 and 2014 if it’s not confident that its customers can sustain them. Navigation charges for commercial craft will be frozen at 2011 levels until 2015.
The EA will also introduce a rolling year for annual registrations and develop a system for part refunding the registrations of craft in specific circumstances, although these are yet to be defined.
Following the recent announcement about the renting out of vacant Thames lock cottages by the EA - to assist with its budget - the Association of Thames Yacht Clubs (ATYC) and other Thames users have expressed serious concerns about future lock manning and possible flood risks.
They have offered alternative financial proposals within which they believe all locks could be manned and will be mounting a campaign to promote these.
