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alixandreaCambridge City Council have just issued a survey to 4000 houses/rowing clubs/boats in Cambridge asking everyone how they feel about the boats on the river, and what they think should be done about us. Camboaters were not consulted about this survey, despite promises that we would be. We have, however, received the documents and see them as being fairly straightforward, if a bit leading.
Here's where you come in. If you live in Cambridge, there's no reason you can't fill one of these out, even if you haven't received one. You can download and print off a form on the Camboaters website - http://www.camboaters.co.uk
We desperately need as many people as possible to fill out these forms. We can hope that it won't just be people who have chips on their shoulders about the boats who bother to fill in the form and send it back, but the sad truth is that it is often only these people who do - those in favour of the boats staying may not understand the importance of this survey in deciding our futures.
Things to consider when filling in the forms: There are several questions that involve double mooring or finger mooring [1], which both seem good ideas, until the issues of flooding and space are taken into consideration. Jesus lock basin would be too crowded for boats the size of Helena to turn around if double mooring were allowed there. Finger mooring would occur above the lock, not too far away from the edge of the weir - extremely dangerous during flooding conditions, especially if a boat isn't tied up as well as it could be... Also, if the decision is not to have boats on the commons, but these types of mooring are given the green light, it means we will all be cramped up in one small area and there will be less allowed space for summer visitors.
Most of us are not adverse to paying a fee for our mooring space. We would like some more facilities available for this however - bins, another tap and maybe a new pump-out station for instance... There is a mooring Co-Operative in Oxford, where the residents rent 850 metres of bank from the council, who provide them with similar services to those requested. each boat owner pays an amount relative to the length of their boat, and can moor anywhere they like along the length.
The residents of Cambridge's boats all work or study here in Cambridge. If we are asked to move, we will be bringing more traffic congestion into Cambridge as we travel into work/college.
Many people feel safer walking the towpath at night, knowing that there are people in the boats beside it. One boater stopped a woman from being raped last year. If we leave, there will be more opportunity for criminals to do their work in peace...
We add to the tourist industry of Cambridge - especially since the annual Boat Open Day was started.
Living on boats is a low impact, sustainable lifestyle, helping the Council to achieve its Green targets.
[1] Mooring at 60 degrees across the river, nose to bank and tail tied to a post sunk into the river bed.
Here's where you come in. If you live in Cambridge, there's no reason you can't fill one of these out, even if you haven't received one. You can download and print off a form on the Camboaters website - http://www.camboaters.co.uk
We desperately need as many people as possible to fill out these forms. We can hope that it won't just be people who have chips on their shoulders about the boats who bother to fill in the form and send it back, but the sad truth is that it is often only these people who do - those in favour of the boats staying may not understand the importance of this survey in deciding our futures.
Things to consider when filling in the forms: There are several questions that involve double mooring or finger mooring [1], which both seem good ideas, until the issues of flooding and space are taken into consideration. Jesus lock basin would be too crowded for boats the size of Helena to turn around if double mooring were allowed there. Finger mooring would occur above the lock, not too far away from the edge of the weir - extremely dangerous during flooding conditions, especially if a boat isn't tied up as well as it could be... Also, if the decision is not to have boats on the commons, but these types of mooring are given the green light, it means we will all be cramped up in one small area and there will be less allowed space for summer visitors.
Most of us are not adverse to paying a fee for our mooring space. We would like some more facilities available for this however - bins, another tap and maybe a new pump-out station for instance... There is a mooring Co-Operative in Oxford, where the residents rent 850 metres of bank from the council, who provide them with similar services to those requested. each boat owner pays an amount relative to the length of their boat, and can moor anywhere they like along the length.
The residents of Cambridge's boats all work or study here in Cambridge. If we are asked to move, we will be bringing more traffic congestion into Cambridge as we travel into work/college.
Many people feel safer walking the towpath at night, knowing that there are people in the boats beside it. One boater stopped a woman from being raped last year. If we leave, there will be more opportunity for criminals to do their work in peace...
We add to the tourist industry of Cambridge - especially since the annual Boat Open Day was started.
Living on boats is a low impact, sustainable lifestyle, helping the Council to achieve its Green targets.
[1] Mooring at 60 degrees across the river, nose to bank and tail tied to a post sunk into the river bed.
