Sue Burchett wrote:
>> My conclusion is that now is the time to revive the proposal to
>> transfer the EA navigations (and the current funding of them, and
>> their in-the-field staff) to BW.
>>
>> This transfer will produce savings from eliminating EA Navigation's
>> head office, and economies of scale from unified procurement and
>> expertise. More important, BW will be able to start entrepreneurial
>> schemes on the former-EA waterways to enhance its income. Also, if a
>> real estate endowment for BW can be arranged, it can sensibly be sized
>> to take into account the maintenance of those waterways as well as
>> BW's current ones.
>>
>> Finally, it will let BW apply its navigation charges to these
>> navigations right away, producing uniform charges nationally and
>> removing the need for the expensive Transport & Works Act inquiry EA
>> is now facing to take its Harmonisation project forward.
>>
>> I think this has to be part of the strategy for dealing with the
>> funding cuts.
>>
>> Adrian
>>
>> Adrian Stott
>> 07956-299966
>
> Adrian knows my views, which are as follows:-
> BW would have a monopoly and could treat boaters precisely how it wished, we
> would have no alternative but to go along with it.
> No, no and again no. Long live the difference. This of course works both ways.
>
I don't think that is necessarily true, Sue.
Why do you think it is any easier to influence BW
when they are funded partially by Govt. The Defra cuts
are a prime example of this. Any point that we may have
made in the past lobbying of BW can now go on the
back-burner because these cuts could make them impractical.
For example, with the cuts there is even more reason for
BW to increase license and mooring fees. No amount of lobbying
is going to change that simple fact. On the other hand if they
were adequately funded they might have more reason to keep
license fees etc at levels that would atttract more use of
the waterways not less. But then, of course, some would argue
there are two many boats already; and the simple answer to that
is increase the license fees. So you see there is no simple answer
to these issues.
--
Will Chapman
Save Our Waterways
www.SaveOurWaterways.org.uk
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