IWA tells British Waterways to rethink mooring provisions
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Inland Waterways
Article Date: 2007-08-22
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The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) has called on British Waterways (BW) to "get sensible" with regard to mooring provisions, to try and keep boating affordable.
The IWA is also pushing BW to consider more affordable alternatives to fully serviced marinas, as the House of Commons select committee report on Britain's waterways has voiced concerns over BW's introduction of tendering for moorings, which might make boating a more expensive, and hence more exclusive, pastime.
The proposals for tendering moorings have been criticised by many, and the IWA in particular has lobbied against BW's proposition, on the basis that the navigation authority must start to promote less ambitious mooring schemes to waterside landowners.
Neil Edwards, IWA chief executive, said: "The Association has outlined some specific ideas to British Waterways and has consistently advocated the need for a range of moorings to suit all pockets, so that waterways can continue to be enjoyed by all sectors of society.
"Affordability is essential to maintain widespread public support and participation. British Waterways is currently considering the specific ideas that we recently suggested and I look forward to hearing their response".
Other proposals include the creation of simple mooring lay-bys, for boats to moor herring-bone style, with minimal facilities, and at far cheaper rates than those charged by commercial marinas.
The IWA has proposed that boat-owners should be given more opportunities to form their own co-operatives and run their own moorings as boat clubs - they say that BW is ideally placed to introduce landowners to boating groups to encourage the process.
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