British Waterways is urging boaters to report boats that are not licensed.
One of the problems that has been found in the past is that some boats not displaying a licence or displaying an out-of-date licence are in fact licensed, which wastes time for enforcement officers.
To help get around this, a new online report page has been introduced where you can check whether a boat is licensed and report it if it is not.
If you see a boat that you think may not be licensed, go to BW's online checker and enter the boat's registration number. The database will then tell you whether the boat is licensed. If it is not, you will be invited to enter details about the boat's location so that a licence inspector can investigate.
If the boat is not showing a registration number, you can enter the location and details such as the boat's colour, etc. so that it can be investigated.
It has been infuriating for boaters who pay their licences promptly to see other trying to get something for nothing. If a boat in unlicensed it may also lack insurance and a boat safety certificate. BW has been having a purge on boats that are unlicensed or which overstay at moorings, with the enforcement team having been strengthened.
On the north west's waterways15 boats have been seized and impounded in four months and £180,000 collected in unpaid licence and mooring fees.
BW's Jane Thomson says: "We are acting in the interests of our canals and customers by reducing the number of unlicensed and derelict craft blighting our waterways. Every penny is being ploughed back into maintaining and improving the network for everyone."
To find out more about buying a licence, licence conditions, etc. see www.britishwaterways.co.uk/license-it
Link to BW's online checker.
Photo: BW
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