September 2018 - The Floater is reproducing an article from the National Bargee Travellers Association which looks at what seems to be a bid by a private parking company to take control and profit from Thames moorings – The River Thames Alliance (RTA) could face mass resignations at a critical meeting if proposals to change its unaccountable governance structure are not agreed at the forthcoming AGM on 4th September 2018. Currently RTA members have no say in the appointment of the Alliance’s directors.

August 2018 - It is fair to say that Burnley Canal Festival over the bank holiday weekend was not all it might have been – not because of lack of effort by the organisers but because it was lacking one vital ingredient – boats. As Alec Wood reports, just two boats managed to attend and low water levels meant they had to moor away from the festival site.

August 2018 - When Canal & River Trust decided to tear down the structure established by Richard Parry and the trustees, just five years after those changes were made, we were told that 78 senior posts would be scrapped and replaced by 60 posts and that just 27 of the new jobs would be senior, earning more than £60,000 a year. Allan Richards has been looking at the impact on the Trust’s £65m a year salary bill.

August 2018 - The Lancaster Canal’s summer water supply has been an issue for boaters for many years, with the Ribble Link closed a few years ago because of low levels and the Glasson flight of locks currently shut in order to preserve water. However, simple drought isn’t the problem, as Peter Underwood reports.

At least one angry boater, moored in a Lancaster Canal Marina until recently, has given up in disgust and put his boat up for sale after repeated problems with low water levels and what he sees as a complete failure by C&RT boss Richard Parry to answer his complaints.