Julian wrote: > Doesn't upset me, it just seems that there isn't an organisation that > looks after ALL waterway users interests. > All ( including SOW) seem to have accepted defeat at the hands of the > government and are going for the minimum possible rather than going for > the best available.
We (SOW) have to be pragmatic but we haven't given up fighting for better (the best available) funding or alternative sources of funding. We would welcome your ideas on how we could do it even better. There was a recent meeting of various interested parties to try to decide the way forward. It is difficult to get a concensus when dealing with factional groups, though, when some of those groups can have their own agenda. > > It also doesn't bother me as I have very little interest left in the UK > canal system as it has changed so much since I started boating. Sadly, there may be a lot of truth in this statement for a lot of long term, earlier-age boaters. They may well come off the system due to loss of interest, financial pressures or a combination of both into a 'value for money reassessment' of their hobby. > To be honest I may even welcome some serious decline as that may just rid us of many of the "new number ones". Unfortunately, it won't get rid of significant numbers of boats on the system as they will be bought by others. It may, however, deter the less involved person who only sees their boat as a luxury, a status symbol, with which to impress their neighbours. > Having said that I would also welcome > the demise of all the towpath shufflers, on a walk into the local >town today about 50% of the boats passed were not displaying a > licence.............. Yep, my presentation at the recent stategy meeting was on just such a topic, unlicensed boats and the loss of revenue to BW. Roger
