Paddy's Lane moorings face closure?

[JennyMorgan]

Poppy, info please!

[Poppy]

Poppy, info please!

I'm afraid I know no more than has been already posted. However the fact that this has spread over social media like a forest fire in a drought displays the mistrust that surrounds the Broads Authority's Executives !

[Guest]

Yes, thanks to Phil Ollier's factual input elsewhere,  with irrefutable inside knowledge, we now find we have a fast growing petition against something that:

 

"There is no proposal to close the mooring"

 

and

 

"As far as I can make out this is an officer proposal and I don't think it has been considered by the Authority or any committee".

 

 

[Mowjo]

Think we should start a petition to stop petitions unless we have some facts, basically all BA are saying is we have maintained the walkway for long enough so we are handing it back to NWT to maintain because we can spend the savings else where!

 

Frank,,,

[ExMemberBobdog]

And of course, Paddy's Lane would not be the only BA mooring to which there is no footpath access and yet those other moorings (for example Womack Island) are still regularly cared for.

[Guest]

Think we should start a petition to stop petitions unless we have some facts, basically all BA are saying is we have maintained the walkway for long enough so we are handing it back to NWT to maintain because we can spend the savings else where!

 

Frank,,,

 

When dealing with the BA, it's far too easy to shoot first, then ask questions later....... 

[Mowjo]

Not here Strow! I still think that BA waste money, but I like a few facts before I shoot anyone at least threads like this means we are all keeping an eye on things and there are always people that will dig deep enough to find the truth,,,

 

Frank,,,,,

[ReedRunner]

On the 'other' channel:

 

"I understand you have set up a petition on Change.org in respect of moorings at Paddy’s Lane. I would like to reassure you that the Broads Authority has no intention of closing these moorings, and therefore I would be grateful if you can take down your erroneous petition immediately. 

In future, should you have any queries in respect of Broads Authority activity, please do not hesitate to contact us directly. 

Yours sincerely 



Trudi Wakelin 

Director of Operations 

Broads Authority 

Yare House 

62-64 Thorpe Road, 

Norwich, 

Norfolk, " 

[Mowjo]

It's funny in a way! I've heard good things about Trudi how true they are I can't say! but from reading she seems to be one person with BA that will answer questions, so why is it that when something comes up people jump to conclusions without any facts, when as seen from ReedRunners reply all it takes is an E/mail to get the facts, I think someone may have egg on their face over this one,

 

Poppy! this is in no way aimed at you because I know where it started and you were just passing the info on,,,

 

Frank,,,,

[LizG]

I read the story on more than one forum so knew when I signed the petition that the key element was that the link to civilisation was under question or removal rather than the closure of the moorings but still felt the need to signl. Comparing to Womack Island is not fair as that is an island. What is interesting is that nearing everyone that has commented says that the lose of moorings in particular wild moorings is key to their concerns............

[JennyMorgan]

I agree about Trudi, a good friend to the Broads.

 

If it is just the boardwalk rather than the mooring then I have no regrets about signing. The boardwalk not only links the moorings to the mainland but it also links the mainland to the moorings, great for people who want to view the Broad, I think that that is rather special. 

[Guest]

I agree about Trudi, a good friend to the Broads.

 

If it is just the boardwalk rather than the mooring then I have no regrets about signing. The boardwalk not only links the moorings to the mainland but it also links the mainland to the moorings, great for people who want to view the Broad, I think that that is rather special. 

 

Phill's very informative post on the true facts of the situation also made it clear that:

 

"As far as I can make out this is an officer proposal and I don't think it has been considered by the Authority or any committee".

 

The furore that this latest "protest" has whipped up has once again shown the extraordinary beliefs held by the usual small proportion of  anti-BA forum posters.

 

It's difficult to imagine how anyone could honestly believe that the BA's goal is to ban all boating on the Broads, or even a significant portion of it.

 

The commercial interests alone would prevent it, let alone the huge private investment, all belonging to registered voters.

[JennyMorgan]

Of course, Strowager, you are quite right but there is an alternative conclusion worth considering. So many people have simply taken it for granted, with little or no question, that moorings are at risk under the present leadership at Yare House,  hardly a significant vote of confidence.

[Guest]

No Dave, but it's paymasters, (the Government)  depend totally on their voters, and they would not wish to alienate thousands of them at the behest of one man's alleged aim.

[Soundings]

This type of thing is one of the reasons we have now left the Broads and are cruising the Great Ouse (on a narrowboat). Paddy's Lane is great and I can only imagine loss will increase the already extraordinary pressure on the lovely River Ant. Where will all the hire craft moor if they are either late out of the yard or on their way back?

The Broads Authority must surely have lost the plot.........or is there a hidden agenda here!

[ReedRunner]

lol.....sorry Soundings....... but your post just goes to prove most people don't read things properly.

 

The moorings are NOT under threat.

 

Mods: Maybe it's time to rename this misleading thread?

[Guest]

lol.....sorry Soundings....... but your post just goes to prove most people don't read things properly.

 

The moorings are NOT under threat.

 

Mods: Maybe it's time to rename this misleading thread?

 

It's probably too late ReedRunner   

 

Quite a few BA "watchers" will continue to spread the word about the moorings there being under threat, even though that is now known to be complete tosh.

 

...and in the credibility stakes, it's BA one point, Toll payers Nil.... 

[Oddfellow]

From a hire operators perspective, losing any land-based access to popular moorings is a kick in the teeth as it will lead to longer delays should there be a call out to a vessel moored at one.

 

This, naturally, has a knock on to any hirer waiting for a visit at one of these "isolated" moorings. 

[Mowjo]

From the horses mouth,,,,,,,

 

Dear Mr Moody

 

Thank you for your recent enquiry.  I am very pleased to be able to reassure you that the Broads Authority has no intention of closing the Paddy’s Lane 24hr mooring, which is one of the largest sites in our network.

This rumour may have been triggered as we are currently in discussion with The Norfolk Wildlife Trust about the future of the boardwalk to the rear of the mooring site, and the Authority have offered to either pass it to them with a small sum for its future maintenance, or to remove it from the site. As you may be aware, there are no facilities in Barton Turf anymore (shop/pub etc) so to maintain an expensive boardwalk is not a high priority for the Authority. Barton Turf village can still of course be accessed from Barton Turf  Staithe.

 

Kind regards

 Angie Leeper     Asset Officer

 

 

 

[Guest]

 

...... As you may be aware, there are no facilities in Barton Turf anymore (shop/pub etc) so to maintain an expensive boardwalk is not a high priority for the Authority. Barton Turf village can still of course be accessed from Barton Turf  Staithe......

 

Yes, quite a pertinent point from Angie there, and very valid for the BA to balance the cost to the toll payers compared with the specfic benefits we would get back in return.

 

I cycle down the hill to Barton Turf Staithe quite frequently, and I've been asked several times by visiting boaters walking up, "where's the nearest Pub mate", or "where's the shop".....

 

...and then seeing them turn round and give up, on hearing how many miles it is.

[Hockham Admiral]

Many thanks, Mow & Strow, for your informative posts. I hope this will now close the matter?

 

(Well, I can hope, can't I?).... 

 

(Non-Mod hat on!)

[ReedRunner]

From a hire operators perspective, losing any land-based access to popular moorings is a kick in the teeth as it will lead to longer delays should there be a call out to a vessel moored at one.

 

This, naturally, has a knock on to any hirer waiting for a visit at one of these "isolated" moorings. 

 

This is the most compelling and obvious argument I've seen for maintaining the boardwalk.

 

If a boat was broken down at Paddy's Lane moorings........ how would an engineer get there?

[RumPunch]

Yes, quite a pertinent point from Angie there, and very valid for the BA to balance the cost to the toll payers compared with the specfic benefits we would get back in return.

 

I cycle down the hill to Barton Turf Staithe quite frequently, and I've been asked several times by visiting boaters walking up, "where's the nearest Pub mate", or "where's the shop".....

 

...and then seeing them turn round and give up, on hearing how many miles it is.

 

 

 

....and as I have said, as one who lives there, almost every day in the summer we have visitors walking down to Neatishead. I've even been known to offer a lift if passing. There will be a small but significant percentage of users of both shop and pub who tie up in Barton Turf and walk down. It's 1.5 miles / about 20 minutes.

[JennyMorgan]

Not only broken down boats but also broken down people and dogs that need their 'walkies'.

 

Both Strowie & Dave raised the 'political' issue. I'm sure that both remember the Tory promise to take the quangos in hand. The BA had cuts but other than that it escaped major changes, those promised buts basically bypassed the BA's upper echelons, The reality is that the BA is too small an issue for Westminster to bother with and, dare I say it, senior officers know that. 

 

Perhaps the costs of the boardwalk should be spread across the board so to speak, it is not just there for boaters. Personally, as a boater, I have never moored there, but I have used the boardwalk as both a photographer and a birdwatcher.

[SGWilko]

....and as I have said, as one who lives there, almost every day in the summer we have visitors walking down to Neatishead. I've even been known to offer a lift if passing. There will be a small but significant percentage of users of both shop and pub who tie up in Barton Turf and walk down. It's 1.5 miles / about 20 minutes.

Quite often, it is this walk to the pub/village that is the draw.