There is a belief
that living aboard a boat can provide a close approximation to an
aspirational and idyllic style of life. But like many things viewed
from a distance – when you get in close, you come to realise that
idyllic is not the right word.
Hopes and
Aspirations
Though to be fair, many
people still harbour their hopes and aspirations for the future of the
inland waterways. I even count myself amongst their number. However, in
the current financial and political climate, the state of the inland
waterways will test the resolve of every boat owner over the next few
years. As the years tick off the government funding clock. We only need
to look at the performance of the Waterways Partnerships. Which were the
flagship of the 'new regime' have failed miserably to even cover their
own costs. This does not bode well as an experiment. Neither does it
bode well as being a fully fledged funding stream by the start of the
current year.
Living your life on a
boat is not for everyone, especially if you want to enjoy a cosseted
life. One that comes with all the creature comforts. However, if you
are the sort who would enjoy living in a caravan, then boating on the
canals and rivers has much to offer. As you move around, you will
make acquaintances and friends. Though you may only meet up again by
chance from time to time in passing. Most of your friendships will be
quite loose. If you enjoy solitude or you are quite comfortable with
your own company. Then living on a boat can be a nice experience. For
some, with the right sort of expectations, a boat can provide a home.
Life on the inland
waterways has its own very specific problems, which can be much
harder to manage than you might think. The first is that if you wish
to lead a sedentary life you will need a mooring. Without a mooring
the Canal and River Trust can and will pursue you to keep moving. If
you have a mooring the Canal and River Trust will still pursue you to
keep moving when away from your mooring. Therefore you are unlikely
to be able to stay in one place, while away from your home mooring
for long periods. If you have a medical condition or similar issue
requiring access to the NHS or other such services a marina mooring
is going to be a necessity.
Two Extremes
The environment of the
inland waterways has two extremes. The countryside can provide a
pleasant vista for those harbouring idyllic pipe dreams. With sunny
days, dappled shade and the sounds of the birds. However as seasons
change so does the environment. In what was a carpet of flowers in summer
can become a soggy morass of mud in another season. The weather will
vary and so will the waterway. The best times will therefore by the unpredictable
variation in climate change and the nature of the weather, be very
short.
The other end of the
spectrum can be surprisingly grim. Its not the weather that's the
main issue now. Its the way that the waterways are treated by those
living alongside the canal. Generally those living on the waterways
try to maintain some semblance tidiness. The closer you get to
conurbations the greater the change will become. As you leave the
countryside and approach a conurbation the very nature of the canal
changes. For some people the canal is a place to flytip rubbish. Its
been this way for many years. There is an association in the mind of
the public of the canal being dirty, dangerous and a dumping ground.
The usual marker being a rusting shopping trolley. The idyllic view
being enhanced by the gaily coloured plastic bottles and bags. These are
amongst the 'friends the trust are seemingly encouraging to use the
canals.
Canal Myopia
I think that boaters
are blessed with a form of 'minds eye myopia', especially when
it comes to the canal. We can all recall those wonderful idyllic days
that we enjoyed in our minds eye. We grumble and then largely forget
about the times we have to clear collected rubbish of the boats
propeller. We grumble to ourselves about the poor maintenance that
creates operational difficulties. Difficulties which tend to add an
extra dimension to those short conversations about the weather. That
we enjoy when boater meets boater at a lock in passing. The more
visible element of the towpath telegraph.
Most of all, if you ask
a boater about life on the canal, you will generally get a jaundiced
opinion. It will not necessarily be a negative opinion. This is because boaters
who spend time or live on the canal accept, all the canals short
comings. Accepting the life on the canal, warts and all, because it
might be the solitude, that floats their boat so to speak. It might equally be
those occasional idyllic days. Most of all, its because of the
stoicism in their character. I usually sum this up as “I'm going to
enjoy this, even if it kills me” attitude. Which is a much better trait than
the much more mythical “stiff upper lip” character. best enjoyed as another heavy
downpour, finds the gap betwixt head and shoulder and runs down their
back.
Pachyderm Sized
Problems
There is the nub of the
problem, the general state of play on the canals. Which would not be
tolerated in the same way elsewhere. The boat licence is for a year,
but for a significant portion of the year, canal locations can be
closed for planned maintenance. The poor maintenance means that
throughout the cruising season there will be other unplanned closures
which might be for just a few days or in the worst cases even a few
months. When a lock is closed the whole section of canal is
effectively closed. Next year the same canal will be closed again, as
yet another lock is closed.
Over a decade of
deliberate underspending on maintenance. Which was started by British
Waterways
and continued by the Canal and River Trust, has brought the situation
to a head. presumably the underspend will continue for the foreseeable
future. So has the change from a quango into a charity with the same
quango mentality, actually
brought any benefits. The rhetorical question is certainly a moot
point. General acceptance of their lot has changed for many boaters
as they have become increasingly sceptical about the future and the
direction of the trust. The politics of the
waterways has certainly grown in line with the general level of
disenchantment.
It will be interesting
to cogitate over what's being described already as CaRT's 'Soviet Ten
Year Plan'. Nothing to do with massaged figures for maintaining a false
claim about tractor production output. But you can bet austerity will
continue for the foreseeable future. The plan is going to be delivered
by Richard Parry in April.
I can only hope that all the major concerns will be reflected in
the commissars plan. However, I suspect that there will be some
notable pachyderm sized exceptions. Just like Chancellor Osborne's
recent budget ignored the largest elephant in the room, the NHS. I
wonder if the Canal and River Trust will ignore the major issues.
I have hopes for an
announcement of a real change of heart by the Canal and River Trust.
In embracing an open and transparent future. I have hopes for the
demise of the Waterways Partnerships which have proved thus far to
have the same effectiveness as a chocolate fire-guard in a
conflagration. I have hopes for a real plan of action to improve the
public's safety from high speed cyclists on the redeveloped canal
towpaths. I have hopes for a real financial plan, delivered without
the pie in the sky aspirations, setting even more unachievable
targets. I have hopes for an improvement in the allocation, pricing
and letting of self managed moorings. But most of all, I hope an
opportunity will be taken to announce the immediate departure of the
lack lustre chairman of the trustees. “Taxi for Hales” But them I
am easily satisfied.