narrowboatworld

THE seven miles of the navigable Cam must be the most expensive to cruise in the country, with its licence for a 60ft narrowboat now £868, an increase of £170.66 from last year—24%.

The reason is that there are now no Cam only licences, but combined Cam/Environment Agency licences.

For visitors too there is no respite, for anyone on that 60ft narrowboat visiting Cambridge must purchase a Environmental Agency licence and an annual Cam visitor licence, as no short term visitor licences are available, that will cost the boater £907.35, up from £741.51 last year.

Unprecedented increases

Bob Wells, Chairman of the Great Ouse Boating Association (GOBA) responded to the increases:

"We are concerned that at a difficult time, when everyone is being forced to tighten their belts, boaters could now be faced with unprecedented licence fee increases. It is a great pity that navigation of the river Cam may no longer be an option for many.

"The effects on the hire-boat and tourist industry and river based businesses could be disastrous. The proposals have not been thought through properly and the Environment Agency has conducted no consultation with its customers.

GOBA will strongly oppose these unfair and ill-conceived proposals which will fragment a waterway and drive boaters away."