A mutiny is brewing on the Broads after boat owners were told they face an increase of more than 10pc on their tolls.
The Broads Authority (BA) says the huge rise - which follows a 13pc increase this year - is necessary to protect jobs and maintain patrols of the waterways by its rangers.
But the proposal will infuriate many boaters and has already angered some of the authority's own members, who warn it could put some boatyards and hire firms out of business.
For large hire motor boats, tolls will rise by £187.68 to £2,028, while for large private motor boats it will increase by £66.12 to £712.88.
The issue has reignited a rift in the organisation, between so-called 'navvies' and 'parkies'.
The former faction is concerned primarily with maintaining navigation and representing boaters, while the other is more focused on fulfilling the BA's national park obligations, such as conservation and promoting the area.
Leaders at the authority, who critics say are aligned with the parkies, insist that a 10.2pc increase is necessary to protect services.
But navvies are resisting the rise, claiming that boaters are being used to 'prop up' the BA and that the increase - which follows a tough year for boat yards, with a drop in the numbers of holidaymakers - is "unsustainable".
The clash between the two sides over last year's 13pc hike was such that two Norfolk MPs raised concerns about the running of the BA, with an environment minister called to investigate.
BA insisted that when minister Trudy Harrison visited she left them with the impression that "she believed the authority to be well run under sound leadership".
THREE OPTIONS ON THE TABLE
The BA has set out three options for tolls, increases of 10.2pc, 8.5pc or 6.9pc.
Option A (10.2pc) would maintain current levels of river patrols and see cash set aside for the authority to be able to purchase new equipment.
Option B (8.5pc) would see patrols kept but no cash set aside.
Option C (6.9pc) would see reduced patrols and no money saved.
The authority introduced extra river patrols after a woman holidaymaker fell from a boat in Great Yarmouth in 2020 and drowned.
WHY THE BA SAYS THE RISES ARE NECESSARY
John Packman, the chief executive of the authority, said that “almost all” the extra costs the authority is facing are due to inflation, particularly staffing, which accounts for 74pc of its outgoings.
Other inflationary pressures include the cost of materials for repairs at Mutford Lock, where Oulton Broads connects with the saltwater, tidal Lake Lothing.
He said the authority was already looking to make longer term savings, including cutting the amount of office space it leases at Yare House by 60pc.
MUTINY BREWING
But at a recent meeting, members of the navigation committee demanded the rise to be kept low.
While members argued they wanted the rivers to be kept safe, some dismissed how much of an impact the extra patrols had, instead arguing that improvements have come from new training that everyone who is hiring a boat must complete.
Remus Sawyerr said: “I would like to see the tolls as low as possible.
“I think we should encourage both the private and commercial toll payers [to keep using the Broads] by keeping them low.
“To achieve that would mean not paying these reserves and it would mean a reduction in the rangers and that is the only option that I think comes anywhere close.”
Mr Sawyerr questioned if “paring back” staff had been explored as much as it could be.
“We are trying to fund the same level of activity but the costs have gone up," he said.
“There’s been a reduction of vessels on the water so therefore maybe that indicates a lesser need for ranger patrols.”
Daniel Thwaites said: "The present situation is unsustainable.
“There is no disputing that our costs have gone up, however, like any business we have to adjust our spending to available funds.
“In 2023 we saw a 25 to 30pc reduction on hire boats on the water, how can we justify the extra rangers when there’s that many fewer boats on the waters?”
He argued raising tolls would lead to "diminishing returns" with option C the "absolute limit".
Not all members agreed, with some arguing that rangers could become more important, particularly with the increasing popularity of paddleboarding.
WHAT COULD BE CUT?
Responding to members, Mr Packman said: “The difficulty we have is that you have to start unpicking things.
“We would have to severely cut back on one of our activities, whether that be dredging or maintenance of moorings or whatever.
“It’s tricky and the other thing is that whenever we have surveyed users they all want more. They want more moorings, they want us to keep trimming, water plant cutting.
"The danger with moving down the direction you are suggesting is that we might create more problems for our users which they might find quite unpalatable.
“We will be doing a little less dredging in the coming year, but we will be using the kit and the men to do more in terms of mooring repairs. We can save money by piling moorings ourselves.”
Navigation members voted six to four for option C.
The committee does not make the final decision, with final approval made by the full authority at a meeting early next year.
PROPOSED CHARGES
The increase in charges would see tolls rise to varying degrees depending on the size of the vessel, from around £5 extra for a small private sailing craft to almost £200 for the largest weekly hired motor vehicle.
The proposed rises include:
- For a 5m2 private sailing craft the current charge is £52. Option A would add £5.30, B £4.40 and C £3.60.
- For an 11m2 private sailing craft the current charge is £114.40. Option A would add £11.66, B £9.68 and C £7.92.
- For a small, 5m2 private motor boat the current toll is £85.10. Option A would add £8.70, B £7.25 and C £5.85.
- For a large 38m2 private motor boat, the current charge is £646.76. Option A would add £66.12, B £55.10, and C £44.46.
- A 38m2 weekly hired motor craft the current charge is £1,456.92. Option A would add £148.58, B £123.88 and C £100.70.
- A 48m2 weekly hired motor craft the current toll is £1,840.32. Option A would add £187.68, B £156.48 and C £127.20.
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