CaRT
Posted: July 13th, 2012, 1:19 pm
Yesterday, with my boaters hat on, I attended one of the nationwide “launches! of the CANAL and RIVER TRUST, this one being at Fradley, the junction of the Coventry and Trent & Mersey canals.
For those not in the know, the government has off-loaded British Waterways to the “third sector” and it is now to be run as a charity known as CaRT. This effectively means that our canals and rivers now really do belong to us all and it is down to us, the users, whether boaters, walkers, joggers, cyclists, gongoozlers or anglers, to ensure that this wonderful heritage of ours remains intact for now and future generations.
I would encourage anglers and every one else who uses our canals to perhaps consider becoming a ”Friend” of CaRT and contribute a small monthly amount via their website. At the moment, cyclists, walkers etc. contribute nothing, anglers licence fees go to the Environment Agency, not BW [now CaRT} Angling club rents do go to CaRT but it is now up to us all as individuals to make sure this new direction works for the future.
The government is committing 800 million for the next 15 years to CaRT, which is about 53 million per year but the system needs 100 million a year just to break even. The rest is going to have to come from us.
I am sure the inevitable conflict between user groups, i.e.: anglers, cyclists and boaters etc will remain, but with a bit more consideration and tolerance between us all, we can become part of the solution rather than part of the problem.
I wish CaRT every success, it’s in all our interests to ensure that it is.
For those not in the know, the government has off-loaded British Waterways to the “third sector” and it is now to be run as a charity known as CaRT. This effectively means that our canals and rivers now really do belong to us all and it is down to us, the users, whether boaters, walkers, joggers, cyclists, gongoozlers or anglers, to ensure that this wonderful heritage of ours remains intact for now and future generations.
I would encourage anglers and every one else who uses our canals to perhaps consider becoming a ”Friend” of CaRT and contribute a small monthly amount via their website. At the moment, cyclists, walkers etc. contribute nothing, anglers licence fees go to the Environment Agency, not BW [now CaRT} Angling club rents do go to CaRT but it is now up to us all as individuals to make sure this new direction works for the future.
The government is committing 800 million for the next 15 years to CaRT, which is about 53 million per year but the system needs 100 million a year just to break even. The rest is going to have to come from us.
I am sure the inevitable conflict between user groups, i.e.: anglers, cyclists and boaters etc will remain, but with a bit more consideration and tolerance between us all, we can become part of the solution rather than part of the problem.
I wish CaRT every success, it’s in all our interests to ensure that it is.