Broads tolls to reflect economic climate
Boat owners could benefit from some of the lowest toll increases in more than a decade as the Broads Authority tries to balance cuts to its National Park Grant while recognising the pressures of the current financial climate on users of the waterways.
Proposed new charges for 2011 will favour small boat owners with canoeists paying just 68 pence more to use the Broads at £28.08. Owners of a sailing dinghy would pay £1.15 more at £47.37 – an increase of 2.5%. Tolls for a 25 metre2 motor cruiser would rise by £12.31 to £248.34 (+5.2%) The largest boats will pay about 6% more next year making the average figure for all Broads boats 5%.
The Authority is set to lose more than 30% (£1.48 million) of its National Park Grant over the next four years following the Government Spending Review To date, some of that grant has supported dredging and therefore tolls will have to rise above inflation to bridge the gap. However, tolls income and expenditure are ring-fenced so the impact of the Government cuts on the maintenance of the navigation will be limited.
The Authority had originally planned for a 6% toll increase for 2011/12. However, an extra 35 hire boats on the Broads boosted this year’s income from boats by £32,000 and this has helped keep down the charges for next year.
Broads Authority Chief Executive John Packman said: “We are conscious that these are difficult times for our toll payers and by passing on the gain in our income we hope to soften the impact of rising costs. The Authority is doing its best to keep tolls down while maintaining the current level of services to boaters in the light of Government cuts.
“In spite of the Spending Review we are still intending to stick to our planned target of dredging 50,000 cubic metres of sediment from the navigation area, patrolling the waterways and looking after moorings.”
Chairman of the Navigation Committee Martin Broom said: “The Navigation Committee was keen to help owners of small boats by keeping toll increases to a minimum. The Authority has a difficult balance to strike in setting navigation charges while maintaining services when Government support is reducing.”
A decision on the recommendation will be made at a meeting of the full Authority on Friday 19th November.
12/11/10
