Boaters' Update

This month we are delighted to report on the long term government contract and funding agreement for the new waterways charity in England and Wales, bring you news about BW’s mooring permit price review and an update for all business licence holders. Plus we take a closer look at an exciting programme of entertainment planned for Crick Boat Show. More »

This month we get into the festive spirit with some last minute gift ideas and the waterscape Christmas quiz. We announce next year’s dates for Crick Boat Show & Waterways Festival which will be held from 2 to 5 June 2012. And we report on the nomination process for boat licence holders to stand for election to the Canal & River Trust’s inaugural governing Council and feature some of the fantastic volunteers who will be chairing the Trust’s regional Waterway Partnerships. More »

This month we report on the nomination process for boat licence holders to stand for election to the Canal & River Trust’s inaugural governing Council. The Council will play a pivotal role in the success of the Trust when it takes over responsibility for the care of the waterways in England and Wales. As the temperature plummets we feature some boating top tips and reminders for safe winter boating and take a look at some of the options for keeping warm afloat during the colder months. More »

This month we report the new name of the charity that from next April will take responsibility for the care of the waterways in England and Wales and look ahead to what the future holds for the waterways through the eyes of the charity’s transition trustees. With the winter drawing in, we’ve teamed up with the Residential Boat Owners Association to offer guidance for BW mooring customers explaining what services will be provided in extreme conditions. More »

This month we are delighted to link to an open letter from the Waterways Minister confirming the intention to proceed with the new waterways charity in England and Wales next year. And with the charity now just a few months away, we report the recruitment process for the Chairs for a number of exciting new Waterways Partnerships that will give local people a greater role in how their waterways are managed, and take a closer look at winter waterway maintenance in action. More »

This month we feature some watery suggestions to help make the most of your bank holiday weekend. We bring you a taste of chocolate history as the newly restored narrowboat Mendip, who prepares to recreate her old route to the famous canal-side Bournville factory. We look ahead at the options available for boaters seeking winter moorings and ask for volunteers to lend a virtual hand testing features of the New Waterways Charity’s website. More »

This month we report on BW’s latest Annual Report & Accounts and supplementary document ‘Celebrating Our Canals & Rivers 1948 – 2011’. We bring you ticket offers for the IWA’s National Waterways Festival, call for final comments on BW’s proposed winter maintenance programme and highlight some hidden gems on the network where you can boat off the beaten track. More »

This month we report on three exciting developments in the countdown to become a charity in England & Wales next year. There are some great prizes for winners of our latest photo competition and find out why you’re the key to unlocking millions from an iron trunk. More »

This month we countdown to Crick, the country’s biggest inland waterways show, and hear of some spooky goings on. We learn how you can secure an Olympic mooring for next summer, take a closer look at BW’s draft winter maintenance schedule, and look for volunteers to get involved in a mapping project that will help make visits to the towpaths more enjoyable for people with restricted mobility. We also report an exciting development in the mission to find creative and cost effective ways to launch the new waterways charity that will take over the running of the waterways in England & Wales next year. More »

This month we bring you the latest news on the progress being made to set-up the new charity that will care for the inland waterways in England & Wales from 2012. This includes the launch of a three-month government consultation about the new charity and the appointments of Chairs to two new trial local Waterway Partnerships in the West Midlands and North West that will give local people a greater role in how their waterways are managed. More »

This month we report on Defra’s announcement about the transfer of state-owned waterways into the new waterways charity that will take over the running of the canals and rivers in England and Wales next year. Ahead of the move to charitable status, we provide an update on some difficult short term decisions being taken to reduce spending due to the economic climate, but bring exciting news for those wanting to boat to London to join the Olympic party in 2012. Finally, we bring you a chance to win the latest book from the best-selling Cool Canals waterway guides. More »

With just 14 months to go until the new waterways charity in England and Wales becomes operational, we bring exciting news about the search for organisation’s inaugural trustees and flag BW’s chief executive’s new blog in which he will give regular news and opinions about the journey towards charitable status. There is one final chance to have your input into research about the new charity’s name and we look forward to the longer days ahead by featuring two of the year’s biggest boat shows. More »

This month we feature some New Year’s resolutions you can actually keep, ask you to help make waterway history and take a closer look at winter waterway maintenance in action. More »

This month we report Defra’s announcement about funding for the waterways in England and Wales, bring you advance ticket offers for Crick Boat Show, and outline some proposed changes to BW’s boat licensing. With the festive season now very much upon us, we hope to see you on the towpath enjoying one of our suggested wintery walks. More »

This month we bring you exciting news about establishing a ‘national trust’ for the waterways, feature the 2010 Waterways Renaissance Awards and ask you to be nice to ratty. More »

This month we are delighted to report the first boat along the restored Droitwich Barge Canal, bring good news about the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, give a final call for Wildlife Survey submissions, and ask you to watch out for unwanted hitch hikers! More »

This month we bring you ticket offers for the IWA’s National Festival & Boat Show, details of BW workboats going under the hammer and declare axis of weevil in biological warfare. More »

This month we feature volunteer open weekends taking place at the Anderton Boat Lift and Standedge Tunnel, ask how to make the best use of visitor moorings and announce a new volunteer role on BW’s Board to support the proposed creation of a ‘national trust’ for the waterways. More »

This month we cover the Tom Rolt Centenary Rally, call for an urban 'Right to Roam', announce changes to BW’s boat licence fees, report on canal leak investigations this summer and autumn and take a closer look at a ground-breaking third sector pilot scheme on the K&A.; More »

This month we report some of the headline views and opinions from the latest survey of boat owners, introduce BW’s new ‘adopt a stretch of waterway’ scheme, discover that water voles enjoy classic French cuisine and reaffirm the view that exercise by water is good for both the body and mind. More »

This month we bring you an offer to visit the premier inland waterways boat show, the latest news on BW becoming a charitable organisation, a special offer on the latest in the series of 'Cool Canals' guides and ask you to get down to your nearest waterway to become a 'kingfisher counter.' More »

This month we announce a project to celebrate the life of waterway pioneer Tom Rolt, bring news about next winter’s maintenance programme and discover that there is ‘moor’ on offer in Leeds. More »

This month we take a look at: Towpath Tidy events taking place near you; information on BW’s extended stoppage dates as a result of the big freeze; Crick Boat Show update; and news of BW’s boat licence and mooring fees for 2010/11. More »

Happy New Year! This month we cover BW’s mooring policy consultation, bring you details about a new consultation from Defra, ‘Waterways for Everyone,’ and some useful reminders for winter boating. More »

This month we get festive by the water, reveal the latest news on proposals to move the nation’s waterways into the third sector and meet Raj, Lenny, Jade, Milly and their dog Dizzy. More »

The IWA has put out a call for all those that love the waterways to sign a Downing Street e-petition that has been set up in response to the media speculation that the UK government is to sell British Waterways’ property endowment in England and Wales. More »

This month we bring you a reader offer for an ideal Christmas gift, reveal BW’s 2009 Wildlife Survey results and take a closer look at BW’s public consultation on moorings policy. More »

On 2 November BW introduced a new structure. To make sure our customers can continue to stay in touch with us we have produced this special edition of Boaters’ Update giving information on where you can get the names and numbers of many of the people that, as boaters, you may need to contact. More »

This month we bring you further information about BW’s proposed future strategy for waterways, we take a closer look at the 2009\10 stoppage programme and get ‘buzzie’ by the water with a waterside beekeeping pilot. More »

This month we celebrate Stourport Canal Basins triumph at the National Lottery Awards, bring you details of some special waterway Open Days this weekend and take a closer look at a new supporters scheme for historic boats. More »

This month we bring you ticket offers for the National Festival & Boat Show, details about BW’s new customer payment card, and take a closer look at a BW work boat which runs on cooking oil! More »

This month we bring you a reader offer for this summer’s coolest canal guide, information on how to buy short-term BW licences online and celebrate Ponty’s new world heritage status. More »

This month we cover the first new lock to be built in London in over 20 years, uncover the secret of the Euston Arch stones, developments at Gloucester Docks, the new Gas Safe Register and what the Minister for the Environment, Sustainability & Housing thinks about the waterways of Wales. More »

This month we cover the results of BW’s strategic review and the Government's decision on BW’s canalside property endowment. Find out what a photocopier, aeroplane propeller and fridge full of food have in common, plus there’s a reader offer to visit this year’s Crick Boat Show. More »

This month we cover the Shop a Trolley hotline launch, online boat checker submissions, Bill Bryson supporting the clean up canals campaign, BW teaming up with Boris Johnson to go green and we give you a moorings vacancies update. More »

This month we cover BW’s Towpath Tidy, the EU Water Framework Directive, BW’s film map, Liverpool waterfront celebrations and how narrowboats got voted one of England’s icons. More »

This month we cover BW’s 2009 boat licence fees, the Chancellor’s pre-budget report, green canal water helping fuel 21st century business, mooring auctions, BW’s wildlife survey results and the Prince of Wales visit to Sowerby Bridge Wharf. More »

This month we cover a new look for Liverpool’s Pier Head, British Waterways’ late payment charge, a makeover for the Lune Aqueduct and posting your waterway memories on the web. More »

This month we cover a debate held at BW’s Annual Meeting about future strategy for the waterways, the introduction of an online boat checker in the fight to tackle licence evasion and conclusions, and decisions following consultation on mooring pricing and vacancy allocation. More »

This month we cover new BW web pages, changes to BW’s licence terms and conditions, the restoration of the 155-year-old Barge Lock and Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey praises the Kennet & Avon Canal. More »

This month we feature the nationwide survey to assess demand for residential boating, the start of BW's 'license it or lose it' campaign, 2008/09 winter stoppage programme, Idle women wanted and the waterway wildlife survey. More »

This month we cover freight by water to the Olympic Park, a photo competition to celebrate 200 years of the Kennet & Avon Canal and the EFRA Committee restoration project. More »

This month we cover the latest on the moorings tender trial, the new wildlife photography competition and John Craven reveals his favourite canals. More »

This month we provide details of BW chief executive’s plans to tour the network meeting customers, look at the current mooring tenders trial, and preview workboats about to go under the hammer. More »

This month we cover an exclusive Crick Boat Show offer, BW's new customer service standards, a VIP waterway visit, a new 'eco' waterway pub, awards galore and a day in the life of a patrol officer. More »

This month we cover the Defra’s BW grant announcement, the consultation on BW’s mooring tenders trial, pollution prevention measures, plus a date for your 2009 diary! More »

This month we cover the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct nomination for World Heritage site status, the results of BW’s Boat Licence Fee Consultation and new mooring prices for 2008 plus a diary reminder for the 2008 Crick Boat Show. More »

This month we take a look at the results from the national wildlife survey, the exciting developments at Wood Wharf as well as the HELIX project in Scotland. More »

This month we cover the launch of British Waterways' moorings tender trial, boat licence fees, the recent developments at Clarence Dock in Leeds plus news on who won the first BW Excellence Award. More »

This month we cover the waterways minister's visit to Birmingham's canals, the BW craft licensing department moving to Leeds and how you can help make The Falkirk Wheel 'Scotland's most treasured place'. More »

This month’s Boaters' Update covers the success of the IWA National Festival and the new winter stoppage programme, as well news on the appointed waterway review advisors. More »

August's Boaters' Update brings news on travelling to the IWA National Festival, as well as July's floods and new measures to crack down on licence evasion. More »

This month the Boaters' Update finds out about new Ministerial appointments, plus the latest on the IWA National Festival, mooring tenders and more. More »

This month the Boaters' Update finds out about the alleged privatisation of British Waterways, plus news on licence evasion, waterwatch and more. More »

Welcome to the British Waterways' (BW) monthly e-newsletter, The Boaters' Update on Waterscape.com. More »