Canal users to be charged during the Olympic Games
- Thu, 9 Feb 2012
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British Waterways, the authority behind the canals, have said that they will be charging canal users during the Games.
The Metropolitan Police will work closely with local authorities and close many of the waterways which lead directly to the Olympic Village, but the remaining open ones will be for fee paying boaters only.
The Olympic area which will incur charges starting at £50 a week, will run from Little Venice to Lea Bridge Road.
There are around 3,500 'continuous boaters' who move on a regular basis to avoid having to pay berthing costs on the waterways. During the Olympics these boaters will be forced to leave the area to make way for fee paying boaters.
A spokesperson from British Waterways told MBM, "We realise continuous cruisers will be displaced, but we have identified a number of free berths outside of the Olympic area. We assure current paying berth holders will not be affected."
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Latest comments
February 10 15:13
Mike
Disgusting Why must local people be MOVED from their area because the waterways board wants to RIPOFF the public for using what others who pay a fee to use are refused. The waterways licence gives free access to all waterways and should NOT be closed during any event just to ripoff the public for their own gain.
February 10 17:53
John Sensible
British Waterways, Weymouth and Portland - just two examples of greed, unfairness and stupidity. Get this Olymic nonsense over with - but dont forget who used the banal activities to RIPOFF loyal and long term cuustomers.
February 12 15:48
Narrowboat Wife
Boaters choose a continuous cruising licence to live nomadically, not to avoid berthing fees. Would you pay extra road tax to drive on roads within the Olympic zone?