Gloucester & Sharpness - License Fee Petition (PLEASE SIGN)

[Tim Good]

If you would like to see a more flexible fee structure on the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal / Lock, please sign anonymously on the link below. Please then forward this to friends and have them sign also.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/gloucester-sharpness-canal-fee-short-term

Details:

Many people I have talked to in the Bristol Channel have articulated regret at the fee structure in visiting the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal. I.e. between £80-110 for a one off weekend visit including the Sharpness Lock.

To summarise the fees work well as a narrow boat wishing to spend reasonably long time on the canal system. As a visiting motor or sailing vessel for a weekend coming from the Bristol Channel, then we are completely priced out.

I spoke with their Licensing Team Manager who empathised with the situation and saw the limitations of a blanket fee policy on all canals and suggested they would consider a special fee structure just for short visits on that section like they have done in the Caledionian Canal.

If you would like to help bring this about and allow us to visit the canal more cost effectively then please sign on the link above.

 

[david_bagshaw]

Would be pleased to sign but I dont publish my boat name or berth location in one place

do you have a non public method of collecting signatures.

 

[Tim Good]

Would be pleased to sign but I dont publish my boat name or berth location in one place

do you have a non public method of collecting signatures.

Good Point. Hows this: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/gloucester-sharpness-canal-fee-short-term

 

[1937rogerdon]

Perhaps this should be taken up by the Bristol Channel Yachting Association.

 

[Tim Good]

Perhaps this should be taken up by the Bristol Channel Yachting Association.

Petitions or signatory lists tend to be independent and then they can be used directly or by an association to lobby a point. But I agree if we get enough people in agrement then the BCYA could approach the Canal Trust with that data.

If the BCYA would like to put its neck out there and contact it's members about this then great.

 

[david_bagshaw]

The addition of the link to your original post has made my first reply look some what strange.
However, now it is there......
Good luck a good idea as it would hopefully encourage use of the canal and maybe the river.

Signed and tweeted.

 

[rafiki_]

Signed

 

[trapezeartist]

According to the iPetition website, I am the 8th signature of 6. Doesn't fill me with confidence in the software. Never mind, we need more signatures.

 

[SteveSarabande]

Is it worth the effort to take a yacht up the canal?

I would do it if free, but the idea of paying to motor up a canal seems a waste of good sailing time. It's a no from me.

 

[Tim Good]

Is it worth the effort to take a yacht up the canal?

I would do it if free, but the idea of paying to motor up a canal seems a waste of good sailing time. It's a no from me.

If it's a waste of time then why would you do it even if it were free? Anyway it's about extending options to all. If the tides are wrong and there is no wind then a nice trip up the Canal is certainly an option many would like to have over bobbing around in a windless channal.

The point is that even if you don't or won't use it yourself, if you think it would be valuable to others then you should help the cause and sign.

 

[Tim Good]

According to the iPetition website, I am the 8th signature of 6. Doesn't fill me with confidence in the software. Never mind, we need more signatures.

It was only made yesterday and needs to be emailed out by the various clubs. Fancy contacting a few?

 

[Sneds]

You still have to pay the fee even you you just want a one night stop over in Sharpness, so it's a yes from me

 

[Tim Good]

Just bumping this up again as I think the next committee meet is in December so would be good to get quite a lot more people sign this.

Does anyone have any local yacht clubs they can circulate it to. Portishead Cruising Club kindly have already done so.

 

[Birdseye]

FWIW I had a long discussion / argument with the canal authorities when I was chairman of the BCYC, trying to get a more reasonable and flexible charging structure. They did move some way but were hung up on the amount of work they had to do to let even one boat through. So they were adamant that they would do a deal for a party but not for individuals and changed their charging structure,. The following year PCC started their easter cruises and have done an excellent job ever since.. So unless the mechanics of the system have changed, I would not hold out too much hope.

 

[Tim Good]

hung up on the amount of work they had to do to let even one boat through ...... So unless the mechanics of the system have changed, I would not hold out too much hope.

This needs escalating. They are acting as custodians for something that should be enjoyed by all and if laziness is standing in the way then things need shaking up at national level.

Can you send that petition page to your members and then ask your members to share it also via twitter, facebook, email or carrier pigeon?

 

[Birdseye]

This needs escalating. They are acting as custodians for something that should be enjoyed by all and if laziness is standing in the way then things need shaking up at national level.

Can you send that petition page to your members and then ask your members to share it also via twitter, facebook, email or carrier pigeon?

I am no longer chairman or even involved - my discussion with them was a fair few years ago. And its not laziness but basic economics. It costs in both labour and resources to open the lockgates and the bridge

 

[tonybarebones]

Regarding entry costs to the Sharpness / Gloucester Canal. The B.C.Y.A. can take up this matter with the Canals and Rivers Trust and will keep everyone updated on progress through our Web page, Facebook and Twitter as well as on the forum if there is interest in this matter.

In the past C.R.T. have maintained that the lock-in fee reflects the cost of operating what is in fact a large ship lock and have been happy to discuss reduced rates if they have enough boats to fill the lock. Sailors however rarely travel around in large fleets so this facility is rarely used.