BW West Midlands seize boats
Old wooden boat sunk in the Coventry Canal at Whittington which, because of access problems, BW estimate will cost £5,000 to remove. Photo: Waterway Images
INLAND WATERWAYS: Among craft recently seized and removed under Section 8 legislation in British Waterways West Midlands area is a 70ft commercial passenger trip boat that was operating without a licence in the centre of Birmingham, writes Harry Arnold.
Almost 94% of craft on the area’s waterway network are now licence compliant with evasion reduced by 4.5% to a strict 6.1%: the number of recorded boat sightings has reached 52,537 so far. Income received from the enforcement team’s direct action totals £444,900.
However, illustrating the problems that can arise from Section 8 legislation, is the case of an old wooden boat abandoned and now sunk in a dangerous position in Whittington on the Coventry Canal. Because of access problems it is estimated that it will cost BW £5,000 to remove it and as the owner cannot be traced none of this cost is likely to be recovered.
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