The Boat Safety Scheme is running a survey between 15th March and 9th April 2021. The survey seeks boaters’ views on certain safety installations such as smoke alarms and whether these should be required to pass the Boat Safety examination. You can complete the survey online here:
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Recent Challenges and Threats to Roving Canal Traders
A number of NBTA members are also Roving Canal Traders. They have been facing problems with local authorities recently regarding their trading activities. Nevil Ingram of Justice for Roving Canal Traders writes:
There’s still time to do the Census!
The deadline for completing the 2021 Census is the end of April, and the Census telephone helpline has added a special line for people living on boats or in caravans, vans, tents or other transient accommodation. This follows the severe difficulties that some Bargee Travellers experienced trying to get a Unique Access Code to do […]
Notes on Geo-Location
Postcodes come as “areas” (eg RGx xxx), “districts” (eg RG1 xxx), “sectors” (eg RG1 2xx) and “full postcodes” (eg RG1 2ST). There are various ways to work out a full postcode from your location. 1 If you know the address of a house or business near-by, you can use the Royal Mail website https://www.royalmail.com/find-a-postcode to […]
Do the Census !!
The 2021 Census takes place this weekend. The NBTA has been involved in detailed discussions with Iain Bell, the Deputy National Statistician at the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to iron out problems and get the process to work for itinerant boat dwellers. Members of the NBTA Committee made some “Secret Shopper” calls to the […]
New law proposes criminalising nomadic way of life
The Government has announced a new law that will criminalise trespass. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill proposes making intentional trespass with intent to reside a criminal offence whether it is on private or public land or on the highway and regardless of how long the land is occupied.
CRT U-turn on range expected during a 6-month restricted licence
Canal & River Trust (CRT) has stated that boaters without a home mooring on a restricted 6-month licence are not expected to cover the same range as those on a 12-month licence. Matthew Aymes, CRT Customer Support Manager, Licence Support (ie enforcement manager) said in an email on 23rd February 2021:
Boaters can continue to use red diesel in England, Wales and Scotland
The Government has responded to the Treasury consultation on reforms to the tax treatment of red diesel that ran in the summer of 2020. The owners of private pleasure boats, a term within which the Government includes boats used as homes, can continue to use red diesel as they do now, in England, Wales and […]
Census helplines are open now!
Free telephone and text helplines for the 2021 Census are open now. For England, 0800 141 2021. For Wales, 0800 169 2021 (Welsh and English). For all other languages, 0800 587 2021. Text 86677. Census helpline numbers from 1st March UK 0800 141 2021 Wales 0800 169 2021 Census Day is 21st March […]
Boat movement and mooring enforcement could resume on 12th April
Following the Government’s announcement of a ‘road map’ out of the current Coronavirus lockdown that began in January, Canal & River Trust (CRT) has stated that it expects boat movement in England to remain limited to essential journeys only until 29th March 2021 and only limited local movement until 12th April 2021. CRT stated that […]