Hoveton Viaduct Moorings Next To Go

[Dances With Otters]

Firstly, may I thank my source for the information.
Hoveton Viaduct moorings is apparently being disassembled and only a portion being reassembled with new pilings etc.
Some claim it could take 85 boats but I disagree with that figure.
The question is WTF is going on?
In the past 4 years the Broads Authority have lost more moorings than I can recall and is this now still going on?
The effect of this will be the electric moorings (stern on ones) being abused and people overstaying quite simply because they won't be able to get off their boats if the key headings are removed from the other ones, even partially.
Is it just me or are the Broads Authority a bad joke?

[avg45]

Hi Miles, A happy new year to you and yours.
I think your post is good and straight to the point, yes WTF is going on with the BA? I think they are more interested in their weirdo projects that keeping moorings and navigations open. I have sent an Email to John Packman to ask him WTF is going on and to let us Toll Payers know what Moorings we will have available to us in future, if any, and why cannot they negotiate a bit better. I look forward to his reply if he can be bothered.

Alan

[Dances With Otters]

The real problem at the end of the day is this will affect the bridge pilot and all the hundreds of boats that pass through the bridge every week in the high season.
If the stern on moorings are full which is most likely in the summer, then the only places hire boats can stop is through the viaduct.
If those moorings are greatly diminished then what will happen is all the hire boats will hover around the bridge and double, triple moor alongside the Kings Head area.
The situation will be absolute chaos.
I personally suspect whoever is behind the decisions made about moorings in the Norfolk Broads is not a boater or has no boating experience.
This is why the Norfolk Broads should be administered and managed by an elected party because at least then we know who WE are dealing with.

[Dances With Otters]

I went up today to have a better look and the entire area is cordoned off but loads going on.
A local fisherman said there were some financial issues associated with the project and stones were being brought in to fill certain areas and that the a large section of the mooring was in fact being returned to a bank.
Personally, I have always thought that the Broads Authority would be better off using pontoons.
They can be taken away to be repaired and better in tidal areas.
They would also be very useful on large broads.
If they were to incorporate pontoons then they would only need to maintain small areas where people disembarked the pontoons.
This would eliminate the need for high cost maintenance of mooring headings which messes up the wildlife too.
In addition, having been magnet fishing on the broads I can now confirm that an enormous amount of old headings and materials used to construct them actually end up in the river.
This includes objects harmful to people not only boats.

[BEN]

Pontoons would work because...
A, The tourists would demolish them with the hire boats.
B, The tourists would drive off down river towing them,
C, They would narrow the rivers even further.
D, There would be even more tourists falling in the river because pontoons are not 100 % stable..

[avg45]

Hi Miles, further to my earlier comment, I would just like to let you know that I have Emailed John Packman regarding Mooring's especially those at Hoveton and it is not all doom and gloom. In fact, he says the " BA have just negotiated a long lease" and are re-furbishing the Hoveton Moorings, half this year and half next year. If you PM me with an Email address I will forward his total reply re my Mooring Queries to you.

Alan

[Dances With Otters]

It is good that you got a reply or should I say two.
Many I have met do not get any reply but I suspect the mention of forums may have prompted a swift response.
I am a little concerned with the Broad Authority's statement to buy up property along the riverside. I think it may initially sound an honest comment by the head of the B.A. but the purpose of the Broads Authority is as follows:

Conserving and enhancing the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the Broads
Promoting opportunities for understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the Broads by the public
Protecting the interests of navigation.


There is no reference there to buying up riverside property which is not what the authority is supposed to be doing.
They could argue that it is protecting the interests of navigation but if that is true why are boats still banging on the bottom of the river going up to Dilham, why are boats running aground at Sutton Staithe moorings and why does part of Stalham Staithe remain covered in reeds?

The fact of the matter is how is this property acquisition funded?
Are toll payers funding the purchase of riverside property?
If so, then surely the riverside property being purchased is owned by the toll payers.

If the funding is coming from another source then who or what is giving the B.A. money to buy up land around the Norfolk Broads.

When we consider the Broads Authority is not a democratically elected public authority and is covertly buying up riverside property on the Norfolk Broads, then I would have to say that the authority is metamorphosing into something it was never supposed to be in the first place.

[avg45]

Hi Miles, glad you got my Email. I don't know where the money to buy the "proposed Moorings" is coming from I can only hope it is coming from the National Parks fund and not increased Toll fees!!!!!

[Dances With Otters]

Well the only thing increasing is my blood pressure as the tolls will be due again soon and I am totally dissatisfied with the Broads Authority.
Worse still I can't do anything about it as it is not a democratic agency. They are there and that's it, stuck with it and have to jump through their hoops.

[BytheBroads]

Worth mentioning "leasing" is not of course the same as purchasing the freehold and BA have walked away from a number of leasehold sites when the price has got too high eg Thurn