CRT have been putting up our licence fees over the last two years and they plan to further increase this over the next five years.
Our licences went up 8% in 2022, 9% in 2023, and they now plan to put them up another 6% on that already vastly inflated figure in 2024 – an increase 23% in just three years, with further increases planned.
On top of this CRT are introducing a ‘surcharge’ for boats without a home mooring. They haven’t announced how much more itinerant boaters will have to pay, but we don’t expect it to be a nominal fee. This differential pricing based on your mooring status is part of a thinly veiled objective to price itinerant boaters off the water.
CRT claims that this differential licence proposal is the ‘fairest’ way to reduce their current financial problems and maintain the crumbling waterways infrastructure. But those financial problems and the precarious nature of the waterways are due to their mismanagement. Whether it’s spending money on vanity projects such as a new logo or paying subcontractors hundreds of thousands of pounds to enforce their ill-conceived mooring schemes, CRT’s finances are in tatters because of their own negligence.
When it comes to claims of ‘fairness’ it doesn’t take long to see that for CRT, ‘fairness’ is just a deceptive term they use to hide their real agenda – marginalising, penalising and eliminating boaters without a home mooring. Whenever they talk about ‘fairness’ it is always a preamble to making our lives more difficult.
CRT have proved that they cannot be trusted; they cannot be trusted with their finances, they cannot be trusted with keeping the waterways system maintained and they cannot be trusted with our wellbeing.
We believe this to be the largest orchestrated attack on our way of life in years and we are going to stand strong and oppose it vociferously. We want you to stand with us.
NBTA is balloting members
We are currently balloting our members with a survey to see if the membership wants to oppose CRT’s decision and if so, what action they want to take.
Join the NBTA to have your say. Tell us if you oppose CRT’s latest proposal and if so, what you are prepared to do to fight it.
The ballot shuts at 9am on Sunday 8th October.
Campaign meeting
From the results of the ballot we will discuss and plan what to do next in an open campaign meeting on the Monday 20 November at 7pm.
The online meeting can be accessed online via:
Alternatively, you can use these dial in details:
+44 330 808 1706
PIN: 45925961#
Handing out leaflets
We are preparing to leaflet as much of CRT waterways nationally to let people know what’s happening and encouraged them to be part of the ballot and to come to the campaign meeting.
Can you volunteer to help distribute these leaflets?
Anyone who volunteers will have two options:
– If you let us know soon enough by Wednesday 27th September and you have a delivery address we can arrange for leaflets to be posted out to you.
– If you have access to a printer we can email you a copy of the leaflet to print yourself (you will still need to let us know by Saturday 30th September at the very latest)
If you would like to volunteer please email us on back as soon as possible with:
– Your Name, Phone Number
– where can you do
– A postal address if you would like leaflets posted out to you
Our email address:
secretariat@bargee-traveller.org.uk
Please hand out before the 8th October.
Download leaflet here: License hikes Sept 2023 Printable
Or
Or
Welcome to print some off