A prolonged dispute between the Broads Authority (BA) and hire boat companies over rising toll fees has concluded, with government ministers ruling there was no wrongdoing in the fee increases.
The Broads Hire Boat Federation had lodged a formal complaint with the Department for Transport (DfT) over what it described as a sharp and unreasonable rise in tolls. The federation took issue particularly with a 13% increase in fees for the 2023/24 season, which added over £200 to the cost of licensing large hire boats. The group claimed the rise was “unlawful and unreasonable” and warned it could jeopardise the survival of some boatyards.
Over recent years, navigation tolls on the Broads have increased by nearly 30%. However, after nearly two years without a clear response from the DfT, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has now ruled in favor of the Broads Authority.
A BA spokesperson responded to the decision, saying:
Now there is a surprise“We are pleased that the DfT has ruled in favour of the authority, upholding the navigation charges for 2023/24 and demonstrating that the appeal was unjustified.”
Despite the outcome, frustration remains on the side of the federation. Chair Matthew Thwaite criticised the handling of the process, noting that he has still not been officially informed of the decision.
“For the past two years they have blanked us and not given us any answers. Making a complaint to the DfT was the recommended approach, but clearly it was a waste of time. How is this a fair and proper judicial review when they haven’t responded to any of our correspondence?”
Toll revenues are used to maintain the Broads’ navigable waterways, with rising operational costs due to inflation and increased usage cited as the reasons behind the fee hikes.
While previous years have seen steep increases, the 2024 tolls were raised by a more moderate 5.9%. Nevertheless, the BA has had to scale back some services to avoid passing on further costs to boaters.