Licence evasion reduced by a further 1.5%

15 December 2009

The total number of unlicensed boats on BW waterways has fallen by a further 1.5% during 2009. Despite the harder times of the credit crunch, 94.7% of the 31,400 boats on BW’s canals and rivers are now fully paid up licence holders.

BW’s annual National Boat Check took place over two weeks during November. Adverse weather meant that some navigations, including the River Avon and River Ouse, were inaccessible to enforcement teams. However, in a year which saw 70 boats seized from their owners as the final outcome of enforcement action, evasion rates reduced from 6.8% to 5.3% (down from 10.4% in 2007).

There were reductions in the number of unlicensed boats in seven of the eight BW administrative areas in England and Wales*, with the biggest falls in the West Midlands, Wales & Border Counties and the South East – the latter seeing an above average 3.3% drop in evasion rates.

Simon Salem, BW’s marketing director said: “These results confirm that the overwhelming majority of boat owners in England and Wales are obtaining the correct licence. The revenue BW receives from them is an important contributor towards the cost of maintaining the waterways.

“In just two years, the hard work of BW enforcement teams has seen the licence evasion rate fall by almost 50%. The success of the ‘License it or lose it’ campaign and the late payment charge, combined with the increased efficiency of the routine monthly data collections have all made an important contribution.

“We are now collecting data about boat sightings so regularly and in such large quantities that the National Boat Check will not be needed next year. Instead we will be able to publish data on progress twice a year (spring and autumn) based on our regular sightings programme.”

ENDS

*‘BW administrative areas’ refers to waterway unit boundaries pre-November 2009

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