Following the CRT Commission to review boat licensing (see https://bargee-traveller.org.uk/nbta-publishes-full-response-to-crts-future-of-licensing-report/) CRT is planning to carry out a major consultation on some of the measures proposed by the Commission. The consultation will run for 14 weeks from December 2026 to March 2027. CRT is adopting a “co-production” approach to designing the consultation, and is looking for boaters to be involved in this process.
As part of CRT’s “co-production” approach to designing this major consultation, CRT says it is setting up a citizens boater panel to help to draft the consultation questions and review the consultation outcome “to ensure any recommended changes work for boaters”.
We encourage members to be involved in any pre-consultation events and in the consultation itself. It is important that the voices of itinerant boat dwellers are heard. However, we also believe that any consultation by CRT should be treated with caution, and that we need to be ready to challenge any outcome that damages our lives and threatens our homes.