Schedules To Private & Hired Boats

[Andrewcook]

As to this Conavirus Lock Down Restrictions being at this time does this means any Private or Hired Boats will get it's schedule's put behind such as it's annual Boat Safety Checks that must be done also getting the Boat out of the Water to do the Antifouling if and when that needs to be done all this must be a Headache to all concern? Will B A be sympathetic to all Private Boat Owners including Hiring Company's as to paying it's Tolls in 2021  

[ExSurveyor]

Boats can be worked on by boatyards and some private owners, subject to restrictions on travel.

No the BA won't reduce or refund any toll and probably will be completely unaware of the need to restrict or scrap next years toll rise.

[Mouldy]

5 hours ago, psychicsurveyor said:

No the BA won't reduce or refund any toll and probably will be completely unaware of the need to restrict or scrap next years toll rise.

I foresee a significant rise in tolls next year, due to the shortfall in anticipated income experienced by the BA, due to late payment or non payment by some individuals.

No doubt, we’ll see in due course.

[BroadAmbition]

I foresee a significant rise in tolls next year, 

There's a surprise then - Not!

Since we re-commissioned 'B.A' back in 2007, every single year the Ba have increased the tolls above the rate of inflation, year in year out.  So going on their policy of increasing toll charges significantly, why should the announcement in 2021 be any different?

Griff

[rightsaidfred]

Answers as far as I understand them are.

Tiers 1 and 2 back to prior lockdown status including overnight stay and travel, the same with hotels and holiday accommodation, Tier 3 still restricted on overnight stays and travel.

BSS and maintenance as above, for tier 3 not a problem if you can arrange access to the boat (keys etc).

Tolls the proposed 4% increase was approved at the meeting on the 20th November and given the above there should be no reason to withhold payment.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[NeilB]

I could not find any official info on travelling from a new tier 3 to a tier 2, but I did find this in the Guardian who spoke to the department of health.

If I live in a tier 3 area, can I go on holiday in tier 1?

Asked specifically whether someone living in tier 3 can go on holiday in a lower tier, the Department of Health and Social Care told the Guardian: “In tier 3 the government strongly advises against travel and overnight stays in/out of the area, other than for reasons like work or education. This means that holidays – including internationally – are advised against, but are not prohibited.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/26/englands-new-covid-rules-what-is-allowed-in-tiers-1-2-and-3

I could be wrong, (probably am), but it appears there is no law stopping you from travelling to any tier, just "strong advice".

My area will jump from Tier 1 to Tier 3 overnight despite falling infections, mainly due to a town 20 miles away.  Hospitals also have capacity but apparently they have to draw the line somewhere.  I would have been happier if they had drawn it a few miles away from me!

Stratford and Warwick councils are jointly appealing the decision so we'll see what happens on 16th Dec.

We were supposed to be on board for a few days over Christmas, my wife works in an extremely high risk setting but has well over a week off prior to travelling to ensure she was clear.  Still pondering what to do....

 

[YnysMon]

Hope you manage to get your Christmas break on MS Neil. We had taken the curtains from both of MS’ loos home with us as they were spotted with mildew. That washed out successfully, so a few days ago we posted the curtains to BCBM’s Norfolk agent in anticipation that at least some of our syndicate members will be able to use their post lockdown allocations.

[Andrewcook]

Hi all looking at  this Topic I'm very surprised that B A have put up there Toll Fees by Four Percent.  What improvement have they done this Year to Justify this hefty increase for 2021 and further more what is planned for next year? 

[MauriceMynah]

Sorry Andrew, That's not quite how the BA works, or any other organisation who have their customers over a barrel 

[Andrewcook]

Hi Maurice Mynah do mean to say B A can just use a Blank Cheque to do what ever it likes i.e.  New Office equipment or Wage Rise or announced  project's  with this busting Inflation Toll Rises should be Caped. There should be a Law or some sort like Civil  Servants had there pay rise Frozen so I think this whole needs to be looked into also I think they must be held to account with theses Tolls Fees. I think Boating Companies' and Private alike should come together and and sort out B A once and for all for us to enjoy to the full. If it was a National Park I think things could be different?   

[YnysMon]

The think there are some very unjustified comments here about the BA and tolls.
I read several of the papers submitted to the latest Navigation Committees and it was very clear from those that there were difficult decisions to be made, and that the recommendation to increase tolls was not made lightly. Statistics showed that toll income would be down (including a forecast reduction in number of hire boats). The BA need to continue their planned dredging and other maintenance work and they were under pressure (from this forum as much as elsewhere) to take action address safety concerns following a number of fatalities during this season.

[rightsaidfred]

1 hour ago, Andrewcook said:

Hi all looking at  this Topic I'm very surprised that B A have put up there Toll Fees by Four Percent.  What improvement have they done this Year to Justify this hefty increase for 2021 and further more what is planned for next year? 

Hi Andrew there are various parts to this increase, there will be 4 additional seasonal rangers on the patrol boats allowing aditional patroling hours on all the rivers, there are also other proposed improvements regarding hand overs plus the shortfall on tolls from reduction of boats tolled this year both private and hire and additional anticipated reduction next year, the increase was 7.5% but reduced to 4% by making up the shortfall from NP reserves, hope this helps.

Fred

[Andrewcook]

Thank you Fred to highlighting me on things that I was not aware of

[rightsaidfred]

Your welcome

Fred

[CambridgeCabby]

Last year our tolls were just shy of £400 if we had moved her to the Ouse (Ely) it would have been £759 for the year , so yes no one likes an increase of 4% but I still feel it is excellent value compared to other areas we have looked at 

[ExSurveyor]

The EA have frozen toll increases for next year on the non tidal rivers they control. It has to be said that they were about 20% higher than the BA to start with.

What puzzles me is decisions to increase expenditure at a time when income is falling, why have additional rangers next year when they have not been provided in previous years, always happy to support more boots on the ground but realistically they haven't seen the need to provide them in more affluent times, this type of cost could be delayed.

In business the want list gets put in a drawer and the need list gets a very close inspection. Businesses cant just magic up money by putting prices up to a captive audience.

 

[rightsaidfred]

16 minutes ago, psychicsurveyor said:

The EA have frozen toll increases for next year on the non tidal rivers they control. It has to be said that they were about 20% higher than the BA to start with.

What puzzles me is decisions to increase expenditure at a time when income is falling, why have additional rangers next year when they have not been provided in previous years, always happy to support more boots on the ground but realistically they haven't seen the need to provide them in more affluent times, this type of cost could be delayed.

In business the want list gets put in a drawer and the need list gets a very close inspection. Businesses cant just magic up money by putting prices up to a captive audience.

 

I have no interest in justifying or criticising the reason for this but if you listened to the various meetings the impetus has come from the increase in anti social  behaviour this year and complaints from private owners about the lack of visible patrols, so I guess its another case of what do the public expect and want without dipping linto their pocket.

Fred

 

[ExSurveyor]

11 minutes ago, rightsaidfred said:

I have no interest in justifying or criticising the reason for this but if you listened to the various meetings the impetus has come from the increase in anti social  behaviour this year and complaints from private owners about the lack of visible patrols, so I guess its another case of what do the public expect and want without dipping linto their pocket.

Fred

 

I agree Fred, just the timing of the decision, these concerns have existed for years but never addressed until finances get squeezed. Just odd timing.

 

[rightsaidfred]

10 minutes ago, psychicsurveyor said:

I agree Fred, just the timing of the decision, these concerns have existed for years but never addressed until finances get squeezed. Just odd timing.

 

It appears to have been a lot worse this year with the number of newcomers plus a large part of the increase is the reduction in income from the number of boats no longer tolled.

Fred

[grendel]

one must also consider that the EA stopped doing routine maintenance under the first lockdown, while the BA did not, meaning that as soon as restrictions were relaxed people could get out on the water again, whereas some of the canal system could not immediately be reopened until it was made safe to do so.

[Andrewcook]

Hi all let's hope February Boating Starts up again on the Broads once again as Easter comes early April 4th so this will give every one a chance to got all thier schedules done every one to relax for another Season. As for me going away on the Broads for a week how many other NBN Forum will on there  in March S it will be a bliss to be out and about  on the Broads once again 

[NorfolkNog]

I'd love to be out before then but can't see it happening. 

First December outing I will have missed for many years  

Still, something to look forward to eh? 

[Paladin]

15 hours ago, grendel said:

one must also consider that the EA stopped doing routine maintenance under the first lockdown, while the BA did not, meaning that as soon as restrictions were relaxed people could get out on the water again, whereas some of the canal system could not immediately be reopened until it was made safe to do so.

Isn’t this just repeating BA spin? The English canal system is owned and managed by CaRT, who did stop routine maintenance and had to ensure the canals were safe before opening them again. But the Broads were never closed.

The BA don’t maintain the river banks. Nor do they maintain the bridges. I haven’t noticed any tunnels here, either. There are hundreds of locks on the canals, which had to be checked. How many are there on the Broads?

So exactly what did the BA do during the first lockdown which, if it hadn’t been done, would have rendered the Broads (as a whole) unsafe for navigation?

[Bytheriver]

On 28/11/2020 at 07:02, Mouldy said:

I foresee a significant rise in tolls next year, due to the shortfall in anticipated income experienced by the BA, due to late payment or non payment by some individuals.

No doubt, we’ll see in due course.

4% was agreed at last meeting to cover safety issues including extra rangers and more patrolling (less NP work though) and using National Park Reserve Budget for next two years.

[Bytheriver]

20 hours ago, Bytheriver said:

4% was agreed at last meeting to cover safety issues including extra rangers and more patrolling (less NP work though) and using National Park Reserve Budget for next two years.

For those who did not watch either the Navigation Committee or Full Authority there was little the members of either could say against the proposed increase.