Canal & River Trust call for boaters to take part in ‘boat owners views survey’

The Canal & River Trust are launching a 2018 National Boat Owners’ Views Survey, which is sent out to a third of their boat licence holders, and are calling on boaters to share their thoughts and feelings about their experience of the waterways.

This March, the Canal & River Trust will be asking around a third of boaters for their opinions on a range of topics including: how boaters use our waterways and what their experience of them is like; the services provided for boaters such as moorings, facilities and the licence renewal process; the ways they would like to receive information; and their views on how well they feel we are caring for the waterways.

Jon Horsfall, interim head of boating said: “We value boaters’ knowledge and it helps us plan our work so we can prioritise where to make improvements. The Boat Owners’ View Survey allows boaters to give us in-depth feedback about what’s working on the waterways and what needs extra attention. It can highlight where things like facilities could be improved across the country, areas that offer a particularly great boating experience, spots that could do with a bit of dredging, and how smooth it is to carry out necessary admin like licensing a boat. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg!

“The survey gives us a chance to see how the way boaters use the waterways is changing, whether it’s a growth in the percentage of boaters living aboard or a change in the average number of miles a boat cruises in a typical day. We also ask for optional, confidential, information that can help when we approach government and councils to highlight boaters’ needs.

“The Boat Owners’ Views Survey is the chance for boaters to have their say and I’d encourage everyone who gets the survey – a third of our licence holders this year – to take part.”

The online survey is accessed via a link in an email or letter (where the Trust does not hold email addresses) which is being sent to a third of the charity’s boat licence holders. The aim is to have contacted most boaters on their waters over a three-year cycle. Boaters will have until 7 April 2018 to complete the survey.

Boaters who have received a link but would prefer to complete a paper version of the survey can contact the customer service team on 0303 040 4040