EURO-MP warns: Tidal wave to hit Boat owners

10.03.05am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 11th Aug 2005

Alerted by a flow of letters from her constituents, West - Midlands Euro-MP Liz Lynne yesterday warned that boat owners would be left stranded if British Waterways insisted on increasing the boat licence fee for canal users.

Liz, who is also Vice President of the Droitwich Canals Trust and Friend of Montgomery Canal Trust which runs from Welshpool to Oswestry said:

"This is a potential disaster for those who have chosen to live onboard their boats. Many of them are retired and just want to enjoy their lives in this way.

"While fees are necessary in order to pay for the upkeep of our canal systems such an increase is simply unjustifiable. British Waterways has increased the licence fee by almost 250% - this is exorbitant. British Waterways can not justify this increase.

"The boat owners already have to face rising fuel costs and such an increase will leave many of them being forced to return to dry land"

Liz went on to say:

"As Vice President of the Droitwich Canals Trust, I take great interest in this issue and I will continue to fight on behalf of boat owners who use our wonderful canals and waterways. These have been part of our landscape for centuries.

"Unless we reach a compromise with British Waterways I feel that our region, and indeed the whole country, will loose another tradition and erode another bit of freedom from those who choose to life their lives on our canals."