National Association Of Boater Owners Press Release
03 December 2011
At its most recent meeting at the end of November, NABO Council agreed to formally
endorse the Key Points in the Boaters manifesto. NABO Vice Chair, Simon Robbins said:
“We are pleased to
see that an independent group of boaters shares broadly the same concerns as we
identified in our formal submission to DEFRA during the Summer, about ensuring
that navigation remains a central element in the proposed Canals and Rivers
Trust.
“Boaters represent one of the core funders of the navigable waterways
and this will continue for the foreseeable future. Apart from the direct fees
paid to BW we contribute substantially to BW’s commercial income through the
services we buy from waterside businesses.
“The Transition Trustees are
clearly anxious to identify new funding streams for the new Charity and this is
an aspiration that boaters and representative groups have consistently lobbied
for over many years.
“However many boaters feel that our interests as a major
existing stakeholder may be sidelined. We hope that the Transition Trustees will
not overlook the fact that on a conservative estimate over 20% of BW’s annual
income comes from boaters’ pockets. Boaters represent a committed group of long
term shareholders in the waterways and many feel that we need to be embraced
rather than, as it sometimes feels under British Waterways, simply being taken
for granted.
“The news subsequent to our Council meeting that there
may be a meeting between supporters of the Manifesto and Transition Trustees is
encouraging. We are conscious that NABO are regarded by some as being among the
‘usual suspects’ in these matters and think it is important that other boaters
express their concerns
too.”
http://www.facebook.com/groups/boatersmanifesto/304308516256575/
At its most recent meeting at the end of November, NABO Council agreed to formally
endorse the Key Points in the Boaters manifesto. NABO Vice Chair, Simon Robbins said:
“We are pleased to
see that an independent group of boaters shares broadly the same concerns as we
identified in our formal submission to DEFRA during the Summer, about ensuring
that navigation remains a central element in the proposed Canals and Rivers
Trust.
“Boaters represent one of the core funders of the navigable waterways
and this will continue for the foreseeable future. Apart from the direct fees
paid to BW we contribute substantially to BW’s commercial income through the
services we buy from waterside businesses.
“The Transition Trustees are
clearly anxious to identify new funding streams for the new Charity and this is
an aspiration that boaters and representative groups have consistently lobbied
for over many years.
“However many boaters feel that our interests as a major
existing stakeholder may be sidelined. We hope that the Transition Trustees will
not overlook the fact that on a conservative estimate over 20% of BW’s annual
income comes from boaters’ pockets. Boaters represent a committed group of long
term shareholders in the waterways and many feel that we need to be embraced
rather than, as it sometimes feels under British Waterways, simply being taken
for granted.
“The news subsequent to our Council meeting that there
may be a meeting between supporters of the Manifesto and Transition Trustees is
encouraging. We are conscious that NABO are regarded by some as being among the
‘usual suspects’ in these matters and think it is important that other boaters
express their concerns
too.”
http://www.facebook.com/groups/boatersmanifesto/304308516256575/
