After April this year, visits to Cambridge will become quite expensive. Either 10% of the relevant EA licence for your boat length if you add it to your EA licence, or 15% of the same if you buy it separately to the EA licence (e.g if you bought an EA licence not planning to go to the Cam then subsequently changed your mind). So something like an additional £50-100.
This letter was published in the Cambridge News yesterday
"I'm taking my cash elsewhere"
Thanks to the price increase for boaters to visit Cambridge by the Conservators of the River Cam, I will not be going to your town and will take my pound to somewhere that would like visitors.
Donald Gilchrist
What I want to know is: do you agree? Will you come anyway? Or will you cross Cambridge off your cruising list? Comments below. It would really help us to have a cross section of boaters' responses as we challenge this! I think I might put a poll up on Canal World too. If you could also say where you normally moor or if you are a continuous cruiser that would help.
"I'm taking my cash elsewhere"
Thanks to the price increase for boaters to visit Cambridge by the Conservators of the River Cam, I will not be going to your town and will take my pound to somewhere that would like visitors.
Donald Gilchrist
What I want to know is: do you agree? Will you come anyway? Or will you cross Cambridge off your cruising list? Comments below. It would really help us to have a cross section of boaters' responses as we challenge this! I think I might put a poll up on Canal World too. If you could also say where you normally moor or if you are a continuous cruiser that would help.
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Hi Amy, We are planning to 'do' the Fens this summer, along with Yarwood, Matilda Rose and a few others - I don't think the Cam will be on the itinerary. The Gold Licence is expensive enough, without an added £120 or so to visit Cambridge. Disappointing to say the least. We usually moor Windsong somewhere in Northants for the winter.
ReplyDeletePip & Roger nb Windsong.
That's a shame, but understandable. We will keep up with the blog and maybe we could visit when you are nearby, in St Ives or Ely or somewhere :)
DeleteIf I were planning to visit the Fens, which I must admit I am not this year, I would still want to see Cambridge, but I'd probably moor somewhere like Ely and get a bus or a train rather than pay another £120
ReplyDeleteJim, Starcross, Norbury Jc
We're on the Fens this spring/summer, with a Gold Licence. We were planning on visiting Cambridge, but I'm afraid the extra fee will stretch the budget too far. Shame really, it'll be our first time on these waters. Maybe another time.
ReplyDeleteGeoff
Sad to hear it. I will find out if there's any chance of getting the Cam included in the Gold Licence.
DeleteLike the others, we have been thinking about another trip on the fens, but at the price they want, we would give the Cam a miss. I think they are shooting themselves in the foot here. I would probably stump up 40 or 50 quid for a stay of a week, like we have done on the Wey, but these new fees are over the top. if they were to set a more modest visitor fee, then they would in the end make more money I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteNeil
NbHerbie
We moor near Upware and a trip to Cambridge figures on our cruising itinery a few times every year, however we will not be adding the Cam to our EA licence - we can't justify the extra expense. I think a lot of local boaters just won't bother going to Cambridge.
ReplyDeleteGail
We're moored at Streatham and have come down to Cambridge (and down the Backs last year) but will look to go in other directions because, like your other contributors, we can't justify a £100 jaunt.
ReplyDeleteSurely it would make more sense to have it added to the Gold license? If that could be part of discussions by the new Canal & Rivers Trust that would be really helpful.
How will this affect the mooring costs for folks like you who moor longterm along the Cam?
Best wishes
Duncan
nb Patience