A Poll Tax for the Inland Waterways
Governments
of all colours have from time to time come up with various bits of
stupid legislation, that has eventually created the pit for their own
downfall.
There has been chapter and verse written over the last decade and longer, highlighting the distrust that many hold for the way that the waterways are being managed. What has become plain to see with the 20:20 vision provided by a decade or more of hindsight. Is that the quango charged to manage the waterways, was ill equipped with the right kind of personnel for the job. I'm not talking about the skill set of the general staff. The finger of responsibility has to be pointed much higher up the command structure.
- For Thatcher is was the Poll Tax.
- For Major it was Family Values.
- For Cameron it was Big Society.
- For the Railways it was the wrong kind of Snow.
- For the Canal and River Trust its the wrong kind of Trustee.
There has been chapter and verse written over the last decade and longer, highlighting the distrust that many hold for the way that the waterways are being managed. What has become plain to see with the 20:20 vision provided by a decade or more of hindsight. Is that the quango charged to manage the waterways, was ill equipped with the right kind of personnel for the job. I'm not talking about the skill set of the general staff. The finger of responsibility has to be pointed much higher up the command structure.
Congestion or Overstaying
I am convinced that 'overstaying' is being confused by many with 'congestion' at what are generally popular mooring sites and at popular times of the year. The sweeping changes now being made to moorings, based on the pretext of dealing with a small minority of over stayers. Is like taking the metaphorical sledge hammer to a crack the proverbial nut. This method of resolving the issue cannot be obtained by implementing reduced time limits. Yet, even more significantly, this is an issue that is going to effect everyone. Even the vast majority of boaters who already adhere to the current limits. Its going to be an unwelcome change that is going to create even more discord. I look upon this as CaRT's own version of the Poll Tax. This is simply an enforcement issue which is covered by the current acts of parliament. The trite throw away line - 'if you are not doing anything wrong you have nothing to worry about' isn't the point. The point is vast amounts of time and significant amounts of our money are being squandered once again. On a policy that is in the trusts own words unenforceable.So where was the responsibility element?
Where was the oversight by the trustees?
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