AN INDEPENDENT review of boat licensing has been launched by the Canal & River Trust as it looks to futureproof the way it charges waterway users.
A new commission, led by a lawyer, narrowboat resident and former civil servant, will start work this month and conclude in September.
It will look at whether boat licensing is appropriate, how it is applied and operated, and potential legal changes to the current system.
The commission’s report will be submitted to the Canal & River Trust Board and its work will be overseen by the newly constituted boating sub-committee of the board, chaired by David Orr CBE, the trust’s chairman.
David Orr said: “Our canals and navigable rivers are still used by thousands of boats two centuries after they were first built to act as vital freight routes for the Industrial Revolution. However, as society evolves, so do the ways our canals and rivers are used, and boating is no exception.
“This review will allow us to take a fresh look at how we license boats on our waters and help us formulate proposals for possible changes that better reflect the use of the network today and in the future.”
The commission will be chaired by Andrew Cowan, a former senior partner at Devonshires. Penelope Barber, one of the elected boating representatives on the trust’s Council, and trustee Sir Chris Kelly, a former senior civil servant and former boat owner, make up the three-person commission.
The commission will actively engage with boaters and other stakeholders, ensuring their views are considered.
More details will be provided early in 2025, once the commission has met for the first time.
