BMF welcomes inland waterways removal from punitive EU legislation
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Inland Waterways
Article Date: 2007-05-02
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The European parliament's vote that inland waterways should not be covered by Regulation on Carrier Liability has been lauded by the British Marine Federation (BMF).
Had the regulations been deemed applicable to waterways, it was possible that operators on British canals and waterways would have to carry liability per passenger of up to an estimated £325,000.
The BMF feared that this could severely reduce affordability for operators and lead to a downturn in river traffic.
However, the exact scope of the regulations will not be decided until June, when the European Commission will meet to finalise the conditions of the regulations.
Sally Banham, Assistant Director of BMF, said: "Passenger boats offer a unique way to experience our inland waterways and contribute to tourism and rural economies. For a small passenger boat operator the regulation could wipe out any profit margin and seriously affect the viability of their business.
"We are pleased that the European Parliament has voted to remove inland waterways from this regulation and are hopeful of a positive outcome for our industry when the Commission meets in June."
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