The NBTA is lobbying DEFRA to provide guidance to local authorities on how to avoid injustice to Bargee Travellers in the application of Smoke Control Areas to boats. We have received a response from DEFRA, who have informed us that the legislation will not come into force until May 2022. The NBTA has put detailed […]
Author: NBTA
EA cancelled Thames enforcement contract due to underestimating its value
More information has been released by the Environment Agency (EA) about the reasons it terminated the contract with car parking company District Enforcement (DE) to enforce time limits on the EA’s own visitor moorings on the River Thames. Following its termination of the contract on 30th July 2021, the EA carried out an internal review […]
No more monetisation of London’s waterways!
On 21st December 2021, just before Christmas, Canal & River Trust (CRT) sneaked out a further consultation regarding proposals for even more mooring restrictions in London, including paid-for bookable short term moorings of less than 14 days, and further areas of restrictions on triple mooring and narrowboat to widebeam mooring. If they are put into […]
All members invited to NBTA Committee phone/Zoom meeting 16th January
All NBTA members are invited to the NBTA Committee meeting which will be held by telephone and by Zoom on Sunday 16th January 2022 at 2pm to 4pm.
Smoke Control Zone regulations can now be applied to boats due to the Environment Act 2021
The Environment Act 2021, which became law on 9th November, will remove the partial exemption for vessels from the Clean Air Act 1993. Local authorities will now have the power to apply their Smoke Control Areas to vessels moored within the areas, under Section 73 and Schedule 12 of the Act.
EA drops charging by boat area but fees will rise by 10% over 3 years
The Environment Agency (EA) published its conclusions on 2nd December 2021 following the Navigation boat registration charges consultation that ran from July to September 2021. The EA reported that there was significant opposition to the introduction of charging by boat area and the level of and profile of the charge increases over the 3 years. […]
Please support the NBTA – Appeal for Funds!
The National Bargee Travellers Association (NBTA) campaigns and provides support and advice for boat dwellers without permanent moorings on Britain’s inland and coastal waterways. The NBTA is an unfunded organisation run entirely by volunteers. Membership is free of charge, in order to avoid excluding Bargee Travellers on low incomes. The NBTA encourages and relies on […]
FFT need volunteers to mystery shop GP surgeries
Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) need volunteers to help with a mass mystery shop of GP surgeries in England. In recent years, FFT has exposed that GP surgeries routinely broke NHS guidelines by refusing to register a nomadic, Romany or Traveller patient, both before and during the Covid-19 pandemic.
CRT Annual Public Meeting online, 22nd November
Canal & River Trust (CRT) is holding its 2021 Annual Public meeting online at 2pm on Monday 22nd November 2021. CRT says that it is inviting people to submit questions to be answered in the meeting, which will be a live broadcast on YouTube. You can email questions to annualpublicmeeting@canalrivertrust.org.uk.
Send your photos, videos or written accounts of dangerous boat handling under the influence of alcohol or drugs to the Department for Transport before 1st November
The Department for Transport (DfT) is running a consultation on strengthening enforcement against the dangerous use of recreational and personal watercraft. The consultation mainly concerns the dangerous use of craft such as jetskis. However the DfT is also asking in Question 12 for respondents to submit documentary evidence that alcohol or drug use among recreational […]