Broads Authority Tolls to Rise Again...

[Lucky]

From the RYA website:-

Authority hikes Broads tolls

Broads boaters face a 2.85 per cent increase in river tolls for next season.

The rise was agreed at this week’s meeting of the Broads Authority Navigation Committee. Initially, BA officers called for a graduated rise of one per cent for smallest boats (dinghies, canoes) with the largest boats facing a 4.4 per cent rise. The committee rejected this in favour of a flat rate 2.85 per cent across the board.

David Broad, retired businessman and Philip Ollier of the Norfolk and Suffolk Boating Association (NSBA) were elected chairman and vice-chairman of the committee respectively. Both are expected to sit on the Broads Authority board as Navigation Committee representatives.

Reacting to the news NSBA Chairman Mark Wells commented: “The NSBA reluctantly accepts the case for the increase, which we believe is as low as it is because of our previous campaigns but we are not happy with the re-allocation until the case for that has been properly assessed and approved.â€

[MY littleboat]

One thing must not be forgotten here, the BA plugged themselves into an 'up to 5% annual rise to fund the removal from the fund £1.3million over coming years to fund administration

Also the 'smaller voats' recommendation may have only applied to very small craft or non-motorised craft and so at least we don't have to fork out near on 5% and the rise is bow evenly spread. I hate this 'tax those who have more/bigger at a higher rate. Everything is relative

[Guest]

the boaters are not going to be happy with them when in a recession prices go up when not in a recession prices still go up....

if boaters dint pay there toll they would have no money other than grants so they have to keep boating folk happy which there not ... so why aren't the boaters standing up & saying none of us are going to pay then they would have no choice to listen...

jonny

[w44nty]

As it equates to about 20p a week,it not too bad compared to other price increases in this recession it could have been a lot worse

[brandenjg]

It's good that its a flat rate for all boats and it doesn't work out much more for a years toll. Didn't the broads secure a grant for dredging so i guess that must of played a part inthe new toll decision. Just think, it could of been alot higher if they'd of wanted. :/

[Antares_9]

I have always believed taht the toll is not bad value for money at all considering what you get for it, agreed some boats can't access all that is offered but that is pretty clear when you make your choice of boat, we were quite content that we were restricting ourselves rather than being restricted by somebody else in that respect. I was a little surprised at the visitor toll for our 2011 foray though, the equivelent of over two grand a year, but still considering some temporary licences on otherwaterways it still is not half bad.

[Guest DAYTONA-BILL]

I wish people would stop trying to justify something by considering something else. The fact is the broads are the broads, and should always be thought of, and payed for as a seperate entity. irrespective of what other waterways users pay, the BA have annually charged above inflation increases with arrogant monotonous regularity, and get away with it because NOBODY gets together and takes a hard line to fight them over it.

Bigger boat owners are already paying more by footage, so how can anybody justify they pay a higher price per foot on top?. I think ANY charges should be per foot, be they for moorings or insurance or river tolls.

[Guest]

I agree with Rod, W44nty, and Anatares.

A sub 3% rise is getting closer to the inflation index, and people can hardly expect any license to rise by less than that....

[MY littleboat]

As Ive said, I feel an accross the board ruse is appropriate as the higher payees will then naturally pay more.

The worry is that this year there has been a distinct move in the 'larger boats pay a higher rate' which is absolutely absurd. This would also have meant a higher rate for many river boats to because of the way the toll is calculated

The biggest kicker is that, despite winning a European grant, those in Dragons Den House decided to rob the coffers of the navigation fund for 'administration purposes' and will do with year on year rises instead of exploring ways to levy funds from other user groups who enjoy the Broads at zero cost

[MY littleboat]

And reading back for once, the iPhone has improved the text by changing rise to ruse!

[Antares_9]

I wish people would stop trying to justify something by considering something else. The fact is the broads are the broads, and should always be thought of, and payed for as a seperate entity. irrespective of what other waterways users pay, the BA have annually charged above inflation increases with arrogant monotonous regularity, and get away with it because NOBODY gets together and takes a hard line to fight them over it.

Bigger boat owners are already paying more by footage, so how can anybody justify they pay a higher price per foot on top?. I think ANY charges should be per foot, be they for moorings or insurance or river tolls.

Surely that's exactly what you do whatever you buy Neil, compare it to something similar somewhere else or of a different manufacture, the thing to compare a broads toll against is obviously the toll, licence or whatever for other waterways and whatever direction that is taking.

[quo vadis]

[Pinochio]

I think they should put it up more

[Guest]

In boat design the relative size of boats varies by their length, beam, and height, not just their length, because that is the ratio by which the volume and displacement/weight increases.

For instance, a 40ft LOA boat is much more than twice the size of a 20ft LOA.

The cube ratio between them is actually 8 to 1, so the 40 footer has eight times the volume and displacement of the 20, if they are of similar hull form and length/beam ratio.

So the "size" of a boat increases very rapidly with increases in LOA, a 25ft LOA boat is twice the volume and weight of a 20ft boat of the same proportions.

Only a very few specialist hull designs are proportional to length, like Canal Narrowboats, with their fixed 6'10" cross section, regardless of length. Their volume and weight is proportional to length.

As Rod said, the Broads Toll formula is actually fairer to larger boats in this respect. Their rates are based on just the Square of the LOA (LOAxBeam), rather than the Cube, so they only proportion the area of the footprint of the boat in the water, rather than it's full displacement ratio.

[Guest DAYTONA-BILL]

Can`t understand how i managed to put insurance in there? . I thought Broads tolls were already payed by the length of a boat, but i can see what you mean regarding beam aswell. I think regarding the canals v the broads, i can`t see how people can justify comparing the two systems, as they are completely different, that`s why i think you can`t justify comparisons between each ones individual costs.

[C.Ricko]

Ok when are we going to bring in the draft of a boat into the equation?? surely the deeper it is the more the owner would rely on the dredging??

the 'variable tolls' was an idea to screw the operators of larger boats who already pay 2.7 times that of the ordinary folk.

Rod,

I can charge you by the beam of your boat, just add 15% for admin

[MY littleboat]

Ok when are we going to bring in the draft of a boat into the equation?? surely the deeper it is the more the owner would rely on the dredging??

:

I like that idea Clive = that'll keep the sailies happy!

[goodall_m1]

I like that idea Clive = that'll keep the sailies happy!

Not if they measured it as maximum draft with any swing keel or centreboard down.

Anyway they whould be more likely to take maximum air draft into the equation,

to reduce the number of complaints about non-opening railway bridges.

Now that would realy make the sailies day

[teadaemon]

Ok when are we going to bring in the draft of a boat into the equation?? surely the deeper it is the more the owner would rely on the dredging??

the 'variable tolls' was an idea to screw the operators of larger boats who already pay 2.7 times that of the ordinary folk.

Rod,

I can charge you by the beam of your boat, just add 15% for admin

Perhaps we should do it by Thames Tonnage (which I think is based on how many barrels of wine a boat can carry, IIRC)? That would suit me, as it measures the depth of the hull, but not the keel(s).

[Poppy]

I would suggest tolls based on the measurement of light reflectance.

'Bling boats' would get stung with all the chrome, stainless and polish, whilst most hire boats would probably pay nothing at all

[MY littleboat]

More appropriately, how about a toll based on the amount of washing you are drying outside... the more cloth, the more you pay!!!

[goodall_m1]

More appropriately, how about a toll based on the amount of washing you are drying outside... the more cloth, the more you pay!!!

No, on the Broads you hang them out get them washed, or sometime to give them a light rinse depending on the state of the weather.

Drying requires good weather!

[Guest]

Hiya

************************ big rant***************

BA Rides again YEEEEHA !!!

[diesel falcon]