Stricter Rules Proposed to Tackle Neglected Boats on Norfolk and Suffolk Broads

[NBF]

Owners of boats who abandon their vessels could face strict punishments after a sharp increase in the number of derelict boats polluting waterways over the last four years.

The Broads Authority has outlined new regulations with which to address "unserviceable vessels" left to rot in the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads. Previously, unless owners could be found, vessels were not classed as abandoned even if they posed serious hazards through decades of negligence.

The Authority said that dealing with these decaying crafts has become an expensive burden, syphoning off thousands of pounds annually. Under the proposed changes, vessels deemed unfit for navigation could be forcibly removed if their owners fail to bring them to standard within a 28-day notice period.

A scheme put before the Broads Authority for consideration on 29 November would also extend the tighter controls to boats damaged by fire. If approved, the controls would be extended across the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads.

Recent figures give an indication of the extent: whereas only four wrecked boats were removed from waterways in 2020, this number rose to 28 this year. Though the Authority has, under current provisions, some powers to remove dangerous vessels, these powers are unequal to the challenge of dealing with non-compliant crafts, according to a report presented to its navigation committee.

But also, many feel that the problem has increased partly because of the growth in the number of people living on houseboats, spurred by lifestyle changes owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rob Rogers, the Authority's director of operations, said it was an ever-increasing worry at the recent navigation committee. "We have had to build a specific compound to break up vessels for proper disposal," he explained. "Each vessel costs an average of £4,000 to break down and clear-it's an enormously expensive exercise.

The new policy covers a wide array of concerns, such as instability of the crafts, severe structural deterioration, and hazards of pollution. Boats allowed to sit without masts, their hulls riddled by rot, or overgrown with mould, face seizure and dismantling should owners fail to rehabilitate within the specified timeframe.

Others that would be considered grounds for removal:
- Inoperable or missing bilge water collection systems
- Flooding or uncontrolled discharge in any area of the vessel
- Burned-out wrecks of vessels
- Loss of hull structural integrity
- Discharge of fuel or other contaminants into the bilge or waterways

The Broads Authority, which takes responsibility for the maintenance and management of these iconic waterways, would expect these measures to have the effect of reducing not just the prevalence of neglected vessels but also the costs associated with them, as well as enhancing safety for all users.