“The stench was so bad I threw up” said a boater as sewage blanketed the tourist spot Little Venice on the Regents Canal for nine days and counting, following inaction from the charity Canal & River Trust (CRT). Negligence from the UK’s main canal charity has allowed untreated sewage to seep over towpaths and into waterways at London’s Little Venice for more than a week so far, causing local businesses, boaters and tourists to suffer.
Little Venice elsan point
CRT, the charity responsible for maintaining services, has increased fees significantly in recent years but stands accused of failing to build or maintain important infrastructure for the boating community.
Since CRT took over the management of 2000 miles of waterways in 2012, it has built no new sewage disposal points or waste facilities during its tenure despite a 15% rise of liveaboard boaters during the period 2011-2021. Those that remain are rare and can be in a state of disrepair, leaving boaters with few options. Before breaking down, the disposal point at Little Venice was the only one available facility within a nine-mile radius. See the Freedom of Information request here: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/provision_of_new_elsan_pumpout_d/response/2486974/attach/html/3/EIR%20Response%20Letter.pdf.html
CRT charges boaters £20 to use the overflowing pump out facility at Little Venice and, earlier this year, introduced a nightly £35 charge to moor on the stretch. Nevertheless, CRT, which has an office overlooking the popular site, have allowed raw sewage to fester unattended on the towpath for an extended period of time.
CRT recently introduced a new surcharge for itinerant boaters dependent on facilities like those at Little Venice earlier this year and announced further plans to increase fees for boaters by 34% over the next five years, all while failing to provide minimum service standards. At least 15 CRT executives take home £100,000 in pay annually. See https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/about-the-register-of-charities/-/charity-details/5027494/full-print
This recent failure from the CRT to provide basic sanitation is endangering health, damaging wildlife and affecting local businesses.
A local water bus driver said: “It is a disgrace. The CRT does not reply to complaints and refuses to tackle the problem. ”
A visiting boater said: “I pulled over to use the facilities and was so bowled over by the smell of rotting faeces, I ran back to my boat to vomit. There was excrement under the water taps.”
A permanent resident on a CRT mooring said: “I am selling my boat but, before a recent viewing, the toxic smell of sewage caused me to be sick multiple times. I called but they just put tape around it.”
Marcus Trower, chair of the London branch of NBTA said: “CRT mismanagement is putting boaters’ and the public’s health at risk. They must immediately rectify the situation and restore sanitation facilities across the country, especially those in high-use areas in our major cities. Neglecting the facilities on our waterways while charging boaters a premium cannot continue.”
Little Venice elsan point, leaking into the canal