The Floater April 2018

Upcyclers set sail into a trading future

April 2018 - Canals seem to attract artistic people with an interest in living in harmony with their environment and the urge to become as self sufficient as possible – and the upsurge in waterways traders is ample evidence of that. Charles Alberts reports on the latest recruit.

Most are 'crafty' in more ways than one and virtually every trader seems to combine the urge to see what's around the next bend with an understanding that boats enable a minimalist lifestyle, unavailable on land.

April 2018 - C&RT’s plans to re-brand itself on May 22 have suffered a setback with almost universal condemnation of it’s new logo. Whilst the Trust has consistently refused to publish details ahead of launch, The Floater has provided a link to the new logo which C&RT has registered as a trademark with the Intellectual Property Office. We asked readers to comment. Allan Richards takes a look at what you said ...

April 2018 - Back in January, The Floater made a number of predictions for the New Year and, just four months later we are seeing them come true. Writing about the Environment Agency merger with C&RT, we said 'Defra will drag its heels regarding C&RT's bid to take over EA waterways. Despite the IWA's frantic lobbying, it will eventually kick the idea into touch again on cost grounds.

April 2018 - The Canal & River Trust’s annual national boat count claims that licence evasion on its waterways is at its lowest-ever level, with 3.1 per cent of boats not holding up-to-date licences – around 990 boats and 0.2 per cent down on the previous year. Alec Wood reports.

The national boat count also paints a picture of the changing numbers of boats across the country and shows a dramatic slow down in the growth of London boat numbers. London is now only growing as fast as the North of England.

April 2018 - Boaters wanting to use the Liverpool Link will no longer have to depend on seasonal staff after Canal & River Trust moved to a self-service approach on Monday this week – but there is still no sign of year-round access along the multi-million pound link, despite the changes, as Peter Underwood reports.

April 2018 - For the second time in four years Canal & River Trust is carrying out an emergency repair to the Llanfoist embankment on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal. The repair follows an application for an injunction requiring C&RT to remove the water from the canal above several properties threatened by inundation should the embankment fail. Allan Richards investigates a seemingly innocuous towpath closure notice.

C&RT's notice is for a towpath closure between 26 February and 19 May inclusive. It reads:

April 2018 - Letters to the editor are a time-honoured feature of local and national newspapers – a natural home for the disgruntled and those who want to draw attention to issues others may not have noticed.

If you have a 'Disgusted of Cheltenham' lurking within, then email the editor – editor@thefloater.org – and we will run a collection of your missives when there are enough of them or when we need to fill some space.

We will give priority to the controversial, the funny and the well-written.

April 2018 - A major pollution incident on London's River Lee has left boaters, walkers, canoeists, a bird sanctuary and many other groups demanding explanations from Canal & River Trust and the Environment Agency, as Alec Wood reports.

A petition to MPs demands to know why an environmental disaster was not acted upon immediately and calls on both bodies to share publicly their response to the illegal dumping of illegal liquid contaminants, along with what improvements are planned in what many see as a defective system.

The Floater April 2018

Upcyclers set sail into a trading future

Boaters unimpressed by new C&RT logo - while Trust tries to pretend it isn't prematurely public

We told you so - Floater prediction comes true

Boat count shows fewest licence evaders ever and boat numbers static

Liverpool access easier – but why not year long?

Mon & Brec embankment - a potential threat to life

Letters to The Floater

Month-long pollution incident leaves questions to answer

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The Floater April 2018