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Post by kris on Apr 10, 2021 23:36:38 GMT
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Post by JohnV on Apr 11, 2021 6:18:04 GMT
I saw that as well Kris ........and thought well I'll keep my fingers crossed ..... Maybe the amount of things they have got wrong, the amount of money they have wasted, the amount of people who have been adversely affected by them, the terrible track record on low energy transport by water, just maybe, just maybe.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2021 6:19:30 GMT
"The aim of the project is to undertake a "backward looking" socio-economic evaluation."
That could potentially be very interesting.
I wonder how prominent boats will be in the discussion or will they be sidelined. Perhaps the main focus is wellbeing improvements for the general public.
In that sense CRT seem to have done quite well. Things like proper towpath surfacing so cyclists can achieve higher average speeds on their journeys. This must be a Good Thing.
I will be very intrigued to see what the result of this is.
I reckon CRT will come out smelling of roses.
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Post by JohnV on Apr 11, 2021 6:24:07 GMT
Violets ..... surely sweet violets ?
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Post by patty on Apr 11, 2021 6:40:15 GMT
Hopefully it will be thorough and not a whitewash exercise and that it will result in a way to protect our canals for the future
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2021 8:14:08 GMT
I set the ball rolling on this a few days ago, posting it on one of the threads here. It seems someone from Cwdf (who I thought never visited thunderboat) then posted it elsewhere adding some conspiracy theories to beef it up, and hey ho off it went around the internet. There is nothing sinister, it’s related to CRT’s application for an extension of the government grant after 2027. Evidently the proposal for an extension centres on public use and wellness. CRT are proposing that defra/the government should recognise the trusts costs to providing this wellness, and should act responsibly by issuing a yearly grant.
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Post by kris on Apr 11, 2021 8:25:59 GMT
Who said there’s anything sinister?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2021 8:27:43 GMT
Who said there’s anything sinister? Some on other platforms.
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Post by kris on Apr 11, 2021 8:28:50 GMT
Who said there’s anything sinister? Some on other platforms. oh okay.
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Post by kris on Apr 11, 2021 8:30:55 GMT
It’s the usual jobs for the boys, I’m sure defra will make sure who ever gets the contract they know exactly the outcome that defra are looking for and they will get it seen as they are paying for it.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2021 8:38:30 GMT
It’s the usual jobs for the boys, I’m sure defra will make sure who ever gets the contract they know exactly the outcome that defra are looking for and they will get it seen as they are paying for it. It’s the only realistic option that enables crt to obtain money for the public’s general use. Hopefully the Trust will get a realistic settlement, though some of its visitor figures will I suspect take some explanation.
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Post by Jim on Apr 11, 2021 9:46:17 GMT
Perhaps TonyDunkley should tender for it, that would sort them out.
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Post by TonyDunkley on Apr 11, 2021 10:00:21 GMT
Bullshit window dressing, . . which will be compiled by people who know nothing of the realities of the subject in question, . . will be about imaginary achievements of people who know nothing of the realities of the subject in question, . . and will be read and evaluated by equally ignorant people who above all don't really want to know anything about anything !
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2021 11:58:49 GMT
My concern with any government body examining CRTs activities as part of a funding approval process is that said government body will give zero priority to boating.
There is a big benefit to society as a whole (and its mental and physical health) from the use of towpaths for walking, running, cycling, fishing etc- and that societal benefit has been put into sharp focus by the lockdowns.
So I personally believe that there is no question that funding will be made available, for at least most of the canal stretches to remain in their current state.
The presence of narrowboats, however, although a pleasant visual attraction for towpath users, might not be seen as essential, or even desirable. Maintaining locks must take a big chunk of CRTs budget, and it could be argued that only about 30,000 boaters benefit from that investment. Likewise the various water, elsan and other facilities that are provided.
If you estimate that there are 30,000 or so licensed boats, each paying £1,000 each year for a license, the income from boaters might be very roughly £30 million. I can only guess, but my guess would be that the license income doesnt pay for all the lock and canal maintenance, plus the facilities.
So the 30,000 boaters, I would guess, are a significant net cost to the funds of CRT, and you imagine DEFRA will be looking in particular at any environmental issues that boaters might create.
I'm wondering if one of these years, a decision will be made to simply seal up a proportion of the existing locks, and thus drastically reduce maintenance costs. Closing locks will not impact the millions of towpath users at all- they will still get the same benefit from the use of a pleasant recreational space. And to people deciding budgets and costs vs benefits on a national scale, I cant help but think that the towpath users matter just as much as boaters, if not more.
Its always seemed to me that an awful lot of money is getting spent every year to allow 30,000 people to cruise in boats- and the number who actually cruise longer distances might be half of the 30,000 license holders.
Obviously I fervently and sincerely hope I'm way wrong on this, but the long term future of the infrastructure that allows actual boat navigation seems to be vulnerable to the penny pinchers.
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Post by airedaleman on Apr 11, 2021 12:32:02 GMT
This is not a new discussion or problem. Boaters and the boating business’s that are on CRT premises are the only one who contribute directly to the system. The walkers and bikers get free use but bit like the NHs free at point of use many of them will be taxpayers as are many of the boaters thus in a small way contributing to the upkeep. This survey appears to be slanted towards the so called wellness factor (whatever that is) upon which crt depends for it’s a big part of its grant. The whole structure is wrong and as others have said navigation does not appear as the number one priority.
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