Kennet & Avon Local Plan
Welcome to the Kennet & Avon local plan page where you can find details of the 12 month interim plan running from 1st May 2014 - 30 April 2015.
Kennet & Avon interim 12-month local plan: guidance for boaters without a home mooring*
The western end of the Kennet & Avon Canal between Bath and Foxhangers is an attractive and popular stretch of canal that attracts a large number of boats. Following consultation with local boaters, the Kennet & Avon Waterways Partnership and the Canal & River Trust has created an interim 12-month local plan for the area aimed at reducing the congestion that is affecting the canal.
Many boaters already navigate the canal in a way that is consistent with this guidance, so they probably won’t need to do anything different. It’s important however that everyone understands how the plan is being monitored and knows how to comply so as to avoid the attention of our enforcement officers.
The 12-month local plan
From 1st May 2014 boats between Bath and Foxhangers are expected to:
- Move to a new neighbourhood every 14 days
- Spread their mooring pattern evenly across 14 different neighbourhoods (see map in useful downloads section) covering a range of at least 20km
Our checkers record the location of each boat at least once every 14 days and our analysis of the resulting data shows us the extent to which you have met the terms of the plan.
Move to a new neighbourhood every 14 days (see map in useful downloads section)
You need to move between the 14 defined neighbourhoods, moving from one neighbourhood to another every fourteen days (or more frequently).
What we measure: approximately every 14 days we review recent sightings to answer:
- Has the boat moved to a different neighbourhood since the last time we saw it?’
Spread your mooring pattern evenly across the different neighbourhoods, covering a range of 20 km
Moor in at least 12 of the neighbourhoods regularly over the whole 12 month period, unless of course you are outside the plan area (during that time you need to follow the national guidance). Going to and fro between just a few neighbourhoods isn’t sufficient.
What we measure: every three months we review all our sightings of your boat over the previous months to answer …
- in how many different neighbourhoods have you been sighted?
If you’ve been in the plan area for most of the time and we’ve seen you in at least 6 different neighbourhoods during the first three months, this is sufficient. Over the 12 months we expect you to have spread your mooring pattern evenly across at least 12 different neighbourhoods.
What if something happens to stop me complying with the guidance?
If something crops up that means you can’t comply, such as illness or boat breakdown, we’ll normally allow a temporary suspension of the requirement to move while you recover or sort out the problem. So contact our customer services team without delay by calling 0303 040 4040 during normal working hours and ask to be connected to the K&A West enforcement team. Or email KAMooring@canalrivertrust.org.uk.
Keeping your own records
We recommend that you keep your own movement log so that if you feel we have made an incorrect assessment at any time, you have evidence to back this up.
*Boaters with a home mooring
If your home mooring is within the local plan area, we understand that you might use the neighbourhoods closest to your home mooring more frequently than those further afield but we would ask that you always return your boat to your home mooring when not being used for cruising. If your home mooring is elsewhere but you are visiting the canal between Bath and Foxhangers, we ask that you follow this guidance until you leave the local plan area.
What happens at the end of the 12-month local plan period?
You’ll need to start following the national guidance.
How are you evaluating the results of the plan?
We will publish a report every three months with statistics on how boats are moving in the area.
Winter Moorings
If you’d like to stay put during the winter (November – March incl.), we’re planning to offer winter permits that allow you to remain moored in one place. These are subject to availability and some simple eligibility criteria. We will communicate details during August 2014.
Visitor Moorings
Maximum stay times at Visitor Moorings between Bath and Foxhangers will be set at 48 hours from 1st May 2014 along with no more than 7 days being spent at the site during any one calendar month. An extended stay charge of £25 per day will apply. These stay times will apply to all boats with the exception that holiday hire boats will be exempt from the ‘7 days in a calendar month’ rule.
Frequently asked questions
We've put together a list of frequently asked question, you can download these in the useful downloads section on the right hand side of this page.
Contacting us
If you have any questions, or have temporary difficulties that prevent you from moving, please email KAMooring@canalrivertrust.org.uk or call us on 0303 040 4040.
