Licence Evasion Reduced By Over A Third

19 December 2008

British Waterways’ (BW) annual National Boat Count took place over two weeks during November. In a year that’s seen more than 140 boats seized and live Section 8 enforcement proceedings currently underway on more than 300 craft, the number of unidentified or unlicensed boats on BW waterways has reduced from 10.4% to 6.8%.

The biggest falls in evasion rates have been in the West Midlands, London and the South West, although there have been reductions in evasion rates in seven out of the eight BW administrative areas in England and Wales.

Simon Salem, BW’s marketing and customer services director said: “The National Boat Count is an accurate snapshot of the boats on our waterways and supplements the local checks that take place week in, week out. It allows us to update the records held centrally and to generate information that prioritises enforcement action.

“Just over 6% of waterways income comes from boat licences – a valuable income that is reinvested into the upkeep of the waterways. It is absolutely right that we crack down on the minority of boaters who are not contributing.

“The reduction in evasion rate over the past year reflects the hard work and commitment to change that BW enforcement teams have embraced. However, we know that there is more work to be done over the next 12 months in reducing the rate still further.”

Anyone who has an unlicensed boat one month out of date as of the beginning of April, including all those identified as part of the National Boat Count, will soon face an additional charge of £150 on top of their overdue licence fees. The charge reflects the extra cost incurred by British Waterways chasing up overdue payment.

Denise Yelland, BW’s national enforcement manager said: “The Late Payment Charge takes affect from the beginning of April so the clock is ticking for unlicensed boaters to avoid incurring additional expense.”

Ends

Notes to editors:

Evasion rate by region 2007 2008 Change
South East 12.3% 8.4% -3.9%
South West 11.5% 7.1% -4.4%
London 12.0%* 7.6% -4.4%
East Midlands 10.3% 6.4% -3.9%
Wales & Border Counties 9.3% 6.3% -3.0%
Yorkshire 5.0% 5.2% +0.2%
North West 11.8% 7.6% -4.2%
West Midlands 10.6% 6.1% -4.5%
Overall 10.4% 6.8% -3.6%

British Waterways cares for 2,200 miles of the nation's canals and rivers. Rich in heritage, abundant in wildlife and teeming with activity, inland waterways are as popular today as they've ever been. Half the population lives within five miles of one of our waterways and an incredible 11 million people use them every year as part of their everyday life – as a short-cut to work, for walking the dog or simply for taking time-out and watching the boats. British Waterways' job is to ensure the waterways attract enough investment to be well maintained and remain appealing to society and the local communities through which they pass.
www.britishwaterways.co.uk