Toll increase

[MauriceMynah]

Apologies for hoovering this up from 'another place' ... no not that other place, another other place, but I was just a tad surprised that it hadn't been mentioned here. I notice in the other place it is being discussed, where in this other other place it has been brought to the attention of it's members but not as yet discussed.

 

Lowest tolls rise in Broads Authority history

 

Broads Authority members unanimously approved a 1.7% tolls increase on Friday – the lowest in the Authority's history.

David Broad, Broads Authority member and Chairman of the Navigation Committee, said the increase was very fair and the boating community seemed happy with it.

 

“The Broads tolls are very good value for money, especially when compared to other waterways and in the context of all the valuable work the Authority is doing.

 

“We are in the process of enhancing our network of free public moorings, other facilities and infrastructure, improving dredging and ensuring our assets are updated and protected for the future. Therefore we need to increase tolls with inflation so we can continue to do more for the benefit of boaters."

 

“There is no regular Government funding for navigation so all this improvement and maintenance can only be funded from tolls.”

 

You can read more about this decision in the committee report.

 

http://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/506381/Navigation-Charges-2015-16-and-Draft-Financial-Strategy-to-2017-18-ba211114.pdf

 

Personally, I reckon the BA has got it pretty much right, or "spot on" as one in the other other place would have said.

 

[Poppy]

Very fair. Roughly reflects the C.P.I., as it should!

[Mirage]

I read in the paper, think it was The Daily Telegraph, that the other 2,000 miles of inland waterways tolls increase next year will be 1.6%. Not being picky you understand, just pointing out that, before we get excited, there are actually no big favours being done by the BA in particular.

 

Simon

[Guest]

I read in the paper, think it was The Daily Telegraph, that the other 2,000 miles of inland waterways tolls increase next year will be 1.6%. ......

 

Not much comfort for their toll payers though, as the Inland Waterways toll rates are already at least twice as much as the equivalent BA rates.

 

(Not being picky either, you understand)

[marshman]

Well done Strow for pointing out what to some of us is blindingly obvious!! Generally we get a pretty good deal.....!!!!

[Poppy]

Well done Strow for pointing out what to some of us is blindingly obvious!! Generally we get a pretty good deal.....!!!!

Oh dear! once again someone has to point out that the Inland Waterways system has many, many

locks, bridges and sluices etc, all of which require maintenance in order for the system to keep running.

Now here I'm aware of Mutford Lock, what else may I have overlooked. Moorings ? They have them on the canals too.

[MauriceMynah]

For my mind I think the BA's favour is that they seemed not to have looked for excuses for another major increase, concealed perhaps by "leveling the playing field" for this or that.

 

The fact that the BWB's (or whatever it's now called) increase is .2% lower is largely irrelevant given the differences between the two organisations. (I was typing this as Poppy's post came up) Suffice to say the difference is minimal.

 

I reckon the increase is fair. Anything within 1% of inflation is tolerable (IMAO)

[Mirage]

Quite agree, The increase is reasonable. I hadn't done my homework on this and stand corrected. I wasn't aware that the Inland waterways rates were proportionately so much higher than those on the Broads. I have to agree with Marshman we are getting a pretty good deal in that case

[BroadScot]

After all the flooding on the upper Thames last winter and other places. I would have thought they deserved a rebate!

 

Iain.

[JennyMorgan]

“The Broads tolls are very good value for money, especially when compared to other waterways and in the context of all the valuable work the Authority is doing."

 

We are being told the above, surely it is for us to decide? Or has it been decided that we 'little people' are incapable of thought?

 

I do agree though, a reasonable and fair toll rise, for once. All we need to read now is that OUR toll is not being squandered on overheads unrelated to navigation, then I would be ecstatic!

 

Negatives aside, if we have reached a plateau then it's about time too, good on the BA..

[MauriceMynah]

I hadn't appreciated what good value the moorings were on the broads until I compared them with Brighton Marina,  or maybe I would do better if I were to compare like with like.

[MauriceMynah]

"they spent £1,085,000 on promoting understanding"

 

Dave, As neither you nor I understand what that means, all one can say is... They didn't promote it very well then, did they!

 

"Anyone care to define or defend?"

 

Define or defend?... I don't even care to READ!!!

 

I have nothing but admiration for those of you who have the patience to read these sorts of documents, but I get half way down the first page and my mind just wanders off to somewhere nicer. Before I know it, I'm starting page three and realise I have no idea what I've just read.

[BroadScot]

 

 

but I get half way down the first page and my mind just wanders off to somewhere nicer. Before I know it,

I'm in the Pleasure Boat Inn? MM.

 

Iain.

[Guest]

We keep hearing about how the inland waterways give toll payers "2000 miles" of navigable waterways for their toll fee, against the Broads 120 miles.

 

The practical reality though, is how much use does the average toll payer get of that 2000 miles ?  They are all compelled to pay for use of the whole system, whereas very few will ever cruise over more than a hundred miles or so.

 

Other factors complicate any direct cost comparisons too, such as there being more than four times as many inland waterways toll payers, compared to BA tollpayers.

[JennyMorgan]

Don't forget that much of that 2000 miles is only 6'8" wide thus costs far less to dredge!! 

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Peter,

On the canals they can spend as much time putting spoil into the canal as taking it out in certain stretches.

There is plenty of wild mooring on the canals but try and get a visits mooring in a village is something else, also the practice of slowing down when passing moored boats at times knocks the average traveling times because of more areas that are now used for long term mooring even on the tow path side of the canal that is managed by the Canal & River Trust (ex BWB).

After saying the above it is a pity that the practice of slowing down for moored boats on The Broads not actively adhered to.

Regards

Alan

[C.Ricko]

Don't forget that much of that 2000 miles is only 6'8" wide thus costs far less to dredge!! 

 and 18" deep....

 

to dredge you have to relocate the fish and remove the water, all sounds a bit too easy!

[C.Ricko]

also remember what great value the private owners get when you take into account the Hire boat yards subsidising the tolls, 

We do it for the greater good ..

 

compare the Broads multiplier to the other waterways..

[Guest]

also remember what great value the private owners get when you take into account the Hire boat yards subsidising the tolls, 

We do it for the greater good ..

 

compare the Broads multiplier to the other waterways..

 

It's a generally accepted fact that most of the 10,000 plus privately tolled craft don't get used much on the system by their owners, and just sit idle in their private off-river marinas.

 

Their own choice, admittedly, but they're effectively giving an even greater subsidy to the 1000 hire craft than the 3x multiplier gives them.....

 

 

Maybe the fairest system for hire and private alike would be based on actual mileage/usage, then the 3x multiplier may seem quite a bargain....... 

[JennyMorgan]

also remember what great value the private owners get when you take into account the Hire boat yards subsidising the tolls, 

We do it for the greater good ..

 

compare the Broads multiplier to the other waterways..

Sorry, Clive, not convinced. For example would we have had the extravagance of the Spirit of Breydon to support if it were not for the hire fleets?  I've been hit and damaged more times by hire boats than I have by private boats. Where I am grateful to the hire-fleets is for the holiday orientated infrastructure which my family & I enjoy. 

[C.Ricko]

 

would be interesting to see the log on SOB. 

 

not sure we needed the design of boat to rescue our bath tubs. 

 

 

 

as for the multiplier I have to tax cars I don't use and hire cars don't pay more than me.. I know we are not talking about cars but the sentiment is the same..

 

The multiplier was introduced by the BOA (Boat owners association) I think ,who represented the hire boats it was agreed to be paid to rent and upkeep 24hr moorings, this was in the days when there were very few private boats.. the balance is now tipped the other way with about 800 boats in hire but have to almost beg to have signs put up to encourage private owners to moor considerately.  

[JennyMorgan]

All fair comments, Clive, not that I am any more convinced than I was earlier! I will agree that private boats are inclined to hogging 24hr moorings at the weekends, they certainly do down South. Re the SOB, yes, it would be interesting to see their log.

[Maxwellian]

In August with the strong winds it was 2:1 between hire and private although one hirer did say sorry, rather than scarper. Mind you the hull of the boat we were on has lots of marks and gouges. One more could not be noticed. Lovely time though. I am all for a lower multiplier for hire boats to keep the hire costs down..........that is until I can get my own boat.

[Polly]

I looked into a visitor toll on the Grand Union, and was very much surprised at how much dearer it was than BA tolls. As for the extra mileage available... Is it really? You take your boat off the mooring for a day out, the choice is out of two directions up the pound one way, or go the other. You can only get so far in the time available, there is more variety on the Broads in its shorter mileage.

[Guest]

I looked into a visitor toll on the Grand Union, and was very much surprised at how much dearer it was than BA tolls. As for the extra mileage available... Is it really? You take your boat off the mooring for a day out, the choice is out of two directions up the pound one way, or go the other. You can only get so far in the time available, there is more variety on the Broads in its shorter mileage.

 

Absolutely right.

 

It's quite feasible to cover the whole 120 miles in a fortnight's holiday on the Broads.

 

You'd be pushed to do the same length on a Canal fortnight with the locks, and the "new scenery" distance would mostly be halved, due to their much more linear routes forcing a return the same way back.

 

...and although the Broads may now only 800 hire boats versus 10,000 private boats, the hire boats actual daily usage of the rivers and visitor moorings is still equal to that of private boats in the Summer season.