Toll Restructure For Broads

[Oddfellow]

For what good he does, the BA has a tourism officer (though the only time we ever had any contact with him was when he came to collect our Love The Broads badges recently as, like others, we have left the scheme). The BA is indirectly responsible for tourism; fact. It has authority over a large area and it's decisions impact upon tourism; the key area that brings in revenue for the BA. 

Tourism encompasses everything. It's the rivers and banks, it's the wildlife, the staithes, the dredging, the rangers, the yacht stations, it's Mutford Lock (and now also Breydon Water). It's the refuse collections; the air quality and more. The BA publishes (and has for many years) the Broadcaster tourism guide along with other publications (albeit many sponsored by Richardsons).

It's not us saying that the BA is responsible for Tourism; in many cases it's the BA itself. 

I have often said that the BA has a difficult job. It can't please everybody; but all too often it seems to go out of it's way to please very few people and it's human nature to become suspicious and start digging. It seems that the more you dig, the more things you perhaps wish you hadn't uncovered. 

[JennyMorgan]

I would go so far as to say that the Authority has a responsibility for the product, along with others, but really doesn't have any responsibility for selling it. I believe that that is especially so if the hireboat multiplier is to be reduced. 

[GoneRoaming]

I complained to The Broads Authority and got this reply

 

Dear Mr Blows

 

Thank you for your email, I will pass a copy to our Chief Executive for his information.

 

I can confirm that the toll for Gone Roaming will rise by 18.5% in 2017 to £565.40.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Bill Housden

Collector of Tolls

[JennyMorgan]

Mr Blows, may I suggest that you contact your local MP. With inflation being so low a rise of 18.5% is unreasonable. Perhaps asking Dr Packman to justify such as rise is another way forward. Indeed asking your MP to ask Dr P might be worthwhile. It is only if people complain in number that anything could happen.

[GoneRoaming]

i have just written to my MP and complained but i am not holding my breath.

[JennyMorgan]

39 minutes ago, GoneRoaming said:

i have just written to my MP and complained but i am not holding my breath.

More the merrier!

[JennyMorgan]

The passenger boat owners are not impressed & I don't blame them. Dr Packman (manipulated) took this one out of the hands of the committees and this is the result:

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/broads_hire_boat_companies_rethinking_plans_to_expand_after_27pc_increase_in_river_tolls_1_4932471

[GoneRoaming]

I have spoken to my MP and also Andrea Leadson the secretary of state who has advised me to talk to The Local Government Ombudsman this i did and he told me to go through The Broads Authority complaints procedure then they would get involved. i am at stage 3 of their complaints procedure and am awaiting their final answer. i have offered The Broads Authority the same toll as last year with a 2% increase for inflation but not 18.5% which they are putting it up by. i do fully understand that smaller boats pay too much but they have access to the whole system, i have access to less than half. i am not moaning about the access i have as i knew this when i got the boat but i am not paying through the nose for it.

i urge all boat owners that read this to complain the same only together we can change the rules. if you need any info please message me and i can let you know

[marshman]

Despite your comments, quite a lot other than dinghies have seen only small changes up or down. I believe budgeted revenues are only expected to rise by 3% so someone has seen a fall somewhere!!

[Poppy]

On balance I believe the changes to be for the good.

However, there is no doubt that a mistake was made in not 'phasing' its introduction.

[GoneRoaming]

9 minutes ago, marshman said:

Despite your comments, quite a lot other than dinghies have seen only small changes up or down. I believe budgeted revenues are only expected to rise by 3% so someone has seen a fall somewhere!!

Yes i know that and thats good, but i will not pay 18.5% extra, i have offered 2% and that's fair

[GoneRoaming]

Just now, Poppy said:

On balance I believe the changes to be for the good.

However, there is no doubt that a mistake was made in not 'phasing' its introduction.

If your fuel bill at home went up by the same amount the Government would step in and stop it or you change suppliers. we cannot change The Broads Authority they think their God and need to be stopped.

[marshman]

If you read all the various documents around you will see that part of the problem was that hire boat revenue fell by something short of £30k as a result of some 28 (? ) boats being withdrawn from fleets. Perhaps there is an argument for differentiating more widely the difference between hire boat and private revenues?

The real blame could also be placed on the Govt who reduced the NP grant over those 3 years -  making the BA so dependant on what is really its main source of revenue. Thats not meant to be an excuse either but it does not help! At least the BA spends most of its revenue on the rivers etc, and signs, unlike my road tax which helps fly jet fighters. OH and that is changing yet again, perhaps I will move my car elsewhere!!!

[GoneRoaming]

I love Norfolk and enjoy boating here but i am now thinking of moving to the south coast. it's not about the money it's the principal.

[ExSurveyor]

I have a 32 foot boat and a 15 foot boat. 

The mooring fees for the small boat are 2/3 of the larger one. 

The insurance is 1/2

The toll is less than a 1/3

My mooring fees are more unjustified on this basis. 

[GoneRoaming]

The fees normally start from 27 foot minimum thats why it's not fair. your 32 foot boat will be going up in toll. i have a 30 foot boat behind me and his has increased as well.

[Poppy]

4 minutes ago, GoneRoaming said:

The fees normally start from 27 foot minimum thats why it's not fair. your 32 foot boat will be going up in toll. i have a 30 foot boat behind me and his has increased as well.

If you are referring to the Broads toll, the starting point is 5 sq metres - i presume therefore you ate talking of moorings ?

[ExSurveyor]

To be honest the rise in tolls will be nothing compared to the increases in all forms of insurance people are going to get hit with this year. 

Three vans,  extra 500 this year. Ten cars,  I dread to think. 

No doubt boat insurance will also rise. 

 

[JennyMorgan]

1 hour ago, marshman said:

If you read all the various documents around you will see that part of the problem was that hire boat revenue fell by something short of £30k as a result of some 28 (? ) boats being withdrawn from fleets. Perhaps there is an argument for differentiating more widely the difference between hire boat and private revenues?

The real blame could also be placed on the Govt who reduced the NP grant over those 3 years -  making the BA so dependant on what is really its main source of revenue. Thats not meant to be an excuse either but it does not help! At least the BA spends most of its revenue on the rivers etc, and signs, unlike my road tax which helps fly jet fighters. OH and that is changing yet again, perhaps I will move my car elsewhere!!!

My impression of the NP cuts was that the Government was trying, unsuccessfully with the BA, to get the message over to make cuts. Why make cuts when you can make up the shortfall by hitting boat tolls and toll payers? Reminder, half our tolls goes to the Authority's so called 'overheads'.

[marshman]

If you want to go to the South Coast, then with respect , please do so but if you do , perhaps your next campaign will be against the Marina Owners themselves!

Brighton Marina for e.g, want to charge a day visitor rate of £1 per foot per day - my Diamond annual mooring charge would be over £4k a year and if I wanted a postbox, they want another £300. What cheek!

And Pete, surely ALL the NP's had their NP grant cut - can you point me to the bit where the BA were singled out for their profligacy? I have a list deside me of 2016 expenditure and to be a bit honest, it would be quite hard to make savings of £1.5 m or nearly a further 25%. Its easy to bandy figures around to suit but I think your "overheads" figure includes a fair degree of what it would pain even you to go without!

[dnks34]

I may have already stated that my Toll is going up around £75.  I am still undecided as to what I am going to do, do I pay in full when I am totally against the level of increase or do I offer payment at the same level as last year + 2% or so and then deal with any consequences. 

I appreciate if the BA have a funding shortfall then something has to give but the BA need and must live within their means.  Instead of doing that they prefer to open toll payers wallets and help themselves to whatever they fancy. 

In the grand scheme of things our boat is seeming less and less important in our lives and its possible that before much longer enough will be enough and it will go.  

What interests me more than anything now is what will happen with the next Toll in 2018, any increase whatsoever will probably be the final nail, i am not being held to ransome. Its almost a 30 year old boat.

[Baitrunner]

As an aside I just checked my latest mooring fees and they have gone up 3%

a bit above inflation and a bit of a cheek, but much more and I too have to think what the ..,,.especially if the BA do me in again next year  

oh, by the way I have an expensive boat, but am I rich? Don't assume we are all minted folks. Those of us who work hard and buy nice things do not all have a bottomless pit if money. 

[quo vadis]

I was rich until I bought a boat 

[ExSurveyor]

I think the final decision for all of us will be the amount of use we get for what are fixed base costs. 

For say 2500 pa I will get about 70 night this year,  about 35 pounds a night,  that,  to me,  is worth it. 

The boat I still have on the Medway costs 2000 pa and I might get 20 nights on it this year. Keeping this one makes no economic sense at all but having a 92 year old mother in law in residence restricts our freedom.  

Decisions on boats aren't always rational but we all have a line that tolling authorities and Marina owners push us over at their peril. 

[Baitrunner]

20 minutes ago, quo vadis said:

I was rich until I bought a boat 

If I didn't have a boat I could retire.  But then would I be happy?