Memorandum submitted by the British Marine
Federation
The British Marine Federation is the trade association
for the UK leisure marine industry. Our 1,500 members provide
the boats, marine equipment, facilities and services that enables
nearly 4 million people to enjoy boating and watersports on the
coast and inland waterways of our country.
Approximately 40% of BMF members have interests
in inland waterways, operating businesses on the canal network,
navigable rivers and Norfolk Broads. Operators of hire boats,
passenger boats and hotel boats deliver visitors to our inland
waterways, including many international tourists. These operators,
together with other waterside businesses who build boats, operate
marinas & moorings and boatyards contribute significantly
to the rural and urban economy. The inland marine industry is
wholly comprised of small firms.
Individuals who operate businesses on the canal
network depend on British Waterways to manage and maintain the
environment in which their businesses exist and can remain viable.
On the whole, the BMF and our members enjoy a very positive relationship
with British Waterways. This relationship has improved dramatically
over recent years and it is something that we wish to continue
to develop to mutual advantage.
It is private investment by marine companies
that provides the boating infrastructure and particularly the
marinas and moorings that are needed for people to make recreational
use of our waterways. British Waterways, through its establishment
of their New Marinas Unit has done much in recent years to ensure
that growth in private sector investment in boating can take place.
Latest figures suggest that in the last 18 months over 2,000 new
berths have been constructed through investment on our members
part with a further 1,100 under construction and about 2,500 in
the pipeline.
Our member companies are not usually the prime
movers in regeneration or restoration projects. However, the goods
and services provided by our members do play a part in the long
term sustainability of any restored/regenerated waterway where
the boating market develops. Regeneration and restoration therefore
undoubtedly benefits these businesses economically and has the
potential to create jobs.
British Waterways are being faced with some
very tough decisions in the light of their current budgetary situation.
We know that many people have been critical of their decision
to withdraw from the Cotswold Canal Partnership. A contributory
factor in this decision was BW's decision to provide emergency
funding to address the situation on the Monmouthshire & Brecon
Canal where waterside businesses and wider tourism has been decimated
by the major breach to the canal structure that will see the waterway
closed for 1 year to 18 months. We would like to thank British
Waterways for its decision to fund swift and certain reopening
of the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal. This decision will address
the threat to those existing and well established businesses located
on the Monmouthshire & Brecon canal. We think that British
Waterways should be commended for making a difficult but time
critical decision to address the impact on our members and the
local economy in South Wales.
We hope that the EFRA Committee will encourage
British Waterways to continue its good work on regeneration and
restoration within the bounds of its current budgetary situation.
Howard Pridding
Executive Director
British Marine Federation
March 2008
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