free newsletter FEB 2012 No. 261 BROAD SHEET

BROAD SHEETfreenewsletterFEB2012 No.216

TV presenter Nick Crane logs on to the new tolls system Annual Meeting

Renew your tolls online Friday 18 May 7.00pm

TV presenter and Broads sailor Nick Crane led the way for boaters Broads Authority’s headquarters
when he launched the Broads Authority’s new online tolls facility.
Dragonfly House, 2 Gilders Way,
From February you will be able to Nick Crane said: “I try to spend as much Norwich, NR3 1UB.
renew your tolls and purchase tide tables time as I can on my boat on the Broads
at https://tolls.broads-authority.gov.uk. because it’s a fantastic way to relax but, Parking at St Helens Wharf
with a busy work schedule, I never have pay and display car park.
The first step is to register. To ensure as much time as I’d like. This is a great
online security you will then be sent a facility because it means I can renew my Complete our
pin number by post. This will need to be tolls instantly from the comfort of home survey for chance
entered online to complete the sign up and it’s very simple to do.” to win £100 prize
process. Once signed up, you will be able
to log on to the system, view your boat’s It is not currently possible to register new Tell us your views and have the chance
details and pay your annual toll. boats online but this facility will become to win £100 towards your toll plus a
available at a later date. new lifejacket by completing the 2012
boat owners’ survey.
Lowest rise in Broads tolls for 17 years
This is the third time the Authority has
Tolls on the Broads will increase by consistent with maintaining services canvassed boat owners’ opinions. Previous
2.85% this year, the lowest rise for toll payers tell us they want and taking surveys provided valuable information
17 years. The new charges will mean account of cost pressures. about your priorities which helped
a £12.16 increase for a large motor determine our work plans.
boat (48m2) currently paying £424.98 “Responsibility for Breydon Water and
and only an 80p rise for a canoe paying the Lower Bure may transfer to the The 2012 survey will be carried out online
£28.08. Authority and for the first time we are using an independent company. This
meeting the costs of Norwich Yacht will save money on administration and
Broads Authority Chairman Stephen Station. postage. The full results will be published
Johnson said: “We have tried to on the Authority’s website.
keep the increase as low as possible continued on page 3
The winner will be selected at random
by the survey company and will win
£100 towards the cost of this year’s toll
or, should your toll be less than £100,
chandlery vouchers to the value of
the difference. You will also win a free
lifejacket as part of our new ‘Wear it’
safety campaign (see page 3).

Navigation Committee Chairman David
Broad said: “The Navigation Committee
was consulted about the questions and
the way in which the survey will be done
and overwhelmingly recommended an
online poll which will save thousands of
pounds on previous surveys and enable
more questions to be asked. I invite
all toll payers to play a very active part
and join the debate on the priorities for
expenditure.”

To complete the survey please go to our
homepage at www.broads-authority.gov.
uk. No information will be passed on to
third parties.

Dragonfly House 2 Gilders Way Norwich NR3 1UB • 01603 610734
e: [email protected] www.broads-authority.gov.uk

2

Dredging on
target again

The Broads Authority is on track to Broads Authority Chief Executive John Packman at the PRISMA conference in Rotterdam
achieve its target to dredge 50,000m³
of mud from the rivers and broads this Official launch of European Partnership
financial year.
A conference was held in Rotterdam in November to mark the
At Thurne Mouth on the River Bure signing of an agreement that will provide £800,000 of European
18,000m³ of sediment was removed and funding to help find innovative ways to dredge the Broads.
deposited in Upton Marshes where it will
be used to restore the set back site to Representatives from the Broads Authority Trudi Wakelin, Director of Operations for
reed swamp. joined partners from the Netherlands the Authority, said: “This money from the
and Belgium to launch the PRISMA European Regional Development Fund will
Over 7,000m³ has been removed from project (Promoting Integrated Sediment help us extend the island we constructed
Thorpe River Green on the Yare to Management) which aims to investigate last year at Duck Broad using dredged
improve depths in the approaches to the new methods for removing sediment material from the channel leading into
bridges and 5,000m³ from Oulton Broad. from our waterways and reusing it, Hickling Broad.
thus overcoming the current problem of
The lower section of the River Bure around finding disposal sites. “We are also planning to dredge the
Scare Gap has had 2,500m³ removed over River Bure between Salhouse and
the winter, and these works will continue As part of the event, the Broads Authority Wroxham Broad using the sediment to
into the spring. organised a technical seminar with reinstate eroded riverbank at the entrance
presentations from the UK, Europe to Salhouse Broad. And we will be
Following the success of the first stage and the United States. Delegates also able to build a new mud wherry to aid
trials, the Broads Authority is currently made a site visit to a pumping station the dredging and transport works and
extending Duck Broad ‘island’ and infilling near Rotterdam to discuss Dutch flood support the rather old ones we
it with a projected 12,000m³ of dredged protection plans. inherited from May Gurney.”
sediment from Heigham Sound.

Dredging
the River Yare

John Packman, Chief Executive of the The other PRISMA partners are Waterways
Broads Authority, said: “This was a very and Seacanal in Belgium, Waterboard of
successful and useful event to begin our Schieland and Krimpenerwaard in the
joint learning experience. The PRISMA Netherlands and Armines acting through
funding will enable us to compare Centre de Douai, France. The project will
dredging techniques with our partners run until 2014.
and learn from each other about how
we reduce sediment coming into our
waterways and sustainably remove it
from them.”

South Walsham slipway annual key for £25 a year
by visiting www.southwalshamvillage.
The Broads Authority has completely org/parish-council
refurbished the slipway at South
Walsham Broad, which is now A leaflet of all public slipways on the
available to all small craft and canoes. Broads can be found on www.broads-
authority.gov.uk under Boating.
The slipway is kept locked but you can
book a key for £5 a day or apply for an

Play it safe while boating 3

Several instances of overloaded electric charging points at 24 New safety
hour moorings have raised concern about the threat of fire. campaign

Steve Birtles, the Broads Authority’s Smoke Alarms The Broads Authority is
Head of Safety Management said: “It is joining forces with the
important to use only one plug in each Boaters are reminded never to remove Broads Hire Boat Federation,
socket to prevent overheating and to use batteries from smoke alarms and to Blakes, Hoseasons and the
splash proof leads. You should also make regularly check they are working following Norfolk and Suffolk Boating
sure the trailing leads are not a trip hazard a recent incident on the canals where a Association to launch a new
to others and that you unplug the lead live aboard boater was only seconds away safety campaign.
from the charging point before from death when his boat caught fire.
you leave.” The aim is to encourage people
Steve Birtles said: “Boaters have died from to wear lifejackets while boating,
Instructions for using the charging points smoke poisoning when fires developed particularly when navigating alone,
can be found on the side of the pillar. as they slept and a working smoke alarm getting on and off vessels, mooring
At busy times electrically propelled boats could have alerted them to escape. up and whilst on deck.
recharging batteries should be The alarm should be tested weekly when
given priority. you’re using the boat. Four people died while cruising
on the Broads last summer and it’s
‘‘If it regularly goes off when you’re believed three of those might have
cooking, replace it with one that has survived had they been wearing
a hush button that temporarily stops lifejackets.
the alarm from sounding. These alarms
are cheap and easy to buy from online This season the ‘Wear it’ campaign
suppliers, DIY shops and supermarkets. posters will be displayed in a variety
of locations including boatyards
“The alarm of choice is an optical alarm across the Broads, with key rings
with a long-life battery, a hush button, and other branded materials also
and one that carries a ‘Kitemark’ or available.
‘horseshoe’ certification mark. If you can’t
hear it in the saloon while you are in the A special wind up torch will also be
sleeping quarters, buy two, one for each on sale at Broads Authority yacht
end of the boat.” stations and information centres
for £1.
An overloaded charging point at Bramerton For guidelines on choosing and installing
Common an alarm on a boat visit the Boat Safety Broads Authority Head of Safety
Scheme fire safety website Management Steve Birtles said:
www.boatsafetyscheme.com/fire. The “The Broads is such a tranquil place
website also carries a booklet ‘Fire Safety people often don’t consider the
on Boats’ which is available from local fire hazards. If a boat gets pulled by the
services. current while you’re tying up it can
drag you into the water. You can
Hopper windows easily trip while getting on and off
or slip on a wet deck or mooring so
This summer two small children it’s vital to always wear a lifejacket in
climbed out of a motor cruiser’s these circumstances. It’s particularly
cabin window after removing the important if you are on the water
glass, which could have led to a alone. I’m delighted that the hire
serious accident. boat industry is joining with us to
get that message across.”
Boat owners are advised to check their A cabin cruiser’s hopper window
hopper windows, which tip open, to
ensure that the glass is securely retained.

Tolls Rise (from front page) the money will be spent on maintenance
of the waterways, with the provision of
“Norwich City Council, which owns the moorings being a particular priority.
yacht station, is also having to cope with
Government funding cuts and rather “Our tolls compare very favourably
than see this important facility close the with those of other UK waterways.
Broads Authority has agreed to meet the The decision on the increase was made
net cost of around £13,000. If any of on the understanding that there will be
these proposals do not come to fruition a full review of the toll structure
this summer.”

4

New moorings added Dilham Dilham Stalham
to network Dyke Stalham
Barton Turf
The Broads Authority has added 233m of new free moorings Dyke
1

Sutton
Broad

to its network, refurbished three 24 hour moorings, and

upgraded 30 other moorings this year. There are

now 64 Broads Authority moorings throughout 2
Irstead
the system. Coltishall Tr
B
Belaugh 6

1 At Sutton Staithe 80 metres of mooring have been River Bure Hoveton Horning Rive r Ant How Hill
refurbished with new timbers, mooring posts, a safety Wroxham
ladder and chains. Womack
5

7

2 At Neatishead Wroxham Broad Woodbastwick
150 metres
of 24 hour Salhouse Cockshoot Ranworth South River Bu
moorings Broad Broad Broad & Walsham U
have been
refurbished MaBltrhooaudseSRtaanitwhoerth 8 Broad
with a new
raised path, weedcutting Upton
mooring posts,
safety ladders dredging
and chains.
Neatishead Staithe refurbishment charging point

NORWICH Broads Authority facilities
yacht station
Dredging 7,000m3

Brundall minor refur

7 At Wroxham Broad Island the Authority has Whitlingham Whitlingham Surlingham new safety
refurbished 80 metres of the two moorings Broad Broad
with a new safety ladder, chains and path new signs
with a back rail. Surlingham
Reproduced by permission
Bramerton Rockland HMSO. © Crown copyr
Broad Ordnance Survey Lic

Rockland St Mary ver YareRi Cantley

Langley Langley
Dyke

Hardley Dyke

8 South Walsham slipway has Chedgrave River Ch
been refurbished. Loddon

The completed moorings at Wroxham Broad Island

10 The recently installed 23m layby mooring South Walsham slipway under construction 9 A
downstream of Reedham swing bridge is to be
be doubled in size in spring 2012. This will Re
provide a total of 69m of mooring for boats th
waiting for Reedham bridge to open.

14 At Aldeby moorings the footpath has been 15 At Geldeston the footpath has been 15
raised with 10 tons of topsoil. resurfaced and a new back rail fitted.

5

Duck Broad 4 Whiteslea moorings have been raised
currently being extended and a safety ladder and chain installed.

Hickling Horsey 5 At Womack
Broad Mere Island the
mooring has
34 Martham been raised with
Broad new woodchip,
mooring posts
ree clearance with Martham and trees cleared.
Broadsword volunteers Potter Heigham

Broadsword volunteers clearing trees near Whiteslea

River Thurne 3 Deep-Go Dyke 6 The Authority has taken on 139m of moorings in
Dredging 18,000m3 moorings and Deep Womack Dyke as a new 24 hour mooring. It has
Dyke moorings have refurbished 100m and added mooring posts, signs
ure been raised. and levelled and re-seeded the path.
Upton
Dyke
n

Stokesby Dredging 20,000m3 GREAT YARMOUTH
Acle Dyke er Bure yacht station

rbishment/maintenance Breydon Water
ladder and chains
et New 24hr moorings which have been renovated at
River Y Womack Dyke

River Waveney Rivn of Ordnance Survey on behalf ofBerney Arms11 Herringfleet
right and database right 2012. moorings
cence number 100021573. have been
extended by
are Burgh Castle 40m and a
safety ladder
9 10 New Cut St Olaves and chains
added.

Herringfleet moorings

h 12 A 23m mooring 13 An extra 54m of mooring has been provided by
pontoon upstream four timber pontoons at the Dutch Tea Gardens
11 of Somerleyton in Oulton Dyke including an 11.5m low freeboard
swing bridge is to be section suitable for canoes and dinghies. This is
extended by 46m in linked to the shore by a new walkway.
spring 2012.

new 23m pontoon is to 12
e installed upstream of
eedham bridge opposite RiverWaveney
he village in spring 2012. Oulton
Dyke
13
Dredging 5,000m3

14 Oulton Oulton Broad
Broad yacht station

Beccles iver R
yacht station
Waveney

Pontoon under construction at the Dutch Tea Gardens

6

Martin Broom is presented with a clock by Administrative Officer Sandra Beckett New look Navigation
Committee
Martin Broom calls time after 31 years
Broads boat owner and resident
The Broads Authority’s longest serving member Martin Broom MBE has David Broad has taken over the
retired after 31 years service. helm of the Navigation Committee
from Martin Broom.
Martin has been advising the Authority as Broads Hire Boat Federation and the
chairman of the Navigation Committee British Marine Federation East Anglia, Since joining the committee three
since its inception in 1988. He has also vice chairman and director of the British years ago, David has been the lead
served on the Planning Committee since Marine Federation, director of National member on Navigational Safety
1983 and was vice chairman of the full Boat Shows and chairman of Boat Shows and chaired the Boating Safety
Broads Authority from 2002 – 2005. in 1989 and 1990, and a council member Management Group.
of the Royal Yachting Association.
At his final meeting in September he was He has cruised throughout the UK and
presented with a clock from members and Martin is currently a board member of Europe, and is the co-author of the
staff by Sandra Beckett, an original the Great Yarmouth Port Authority, a only full Imrays guide in the English
staff member. committee member of the Norfolk and language to the Inland Waterways of
Suffolk Boating Association and a member the Netherlands.
A director of Broom Boats for over half of the Royal Yachting Association Inland
a century, Martin has been chairman Waterways Group. He is commodore of David Broad
of Blakes Holidays Ltd, the Norfolk and the River Cruiser Class and a member of a
Suffolk Yacht Owners Association, the number of sailing clubs. Five new faces have been appointed
to replace members whose term of
Network Rail update comprehensive study of the options appointment has expired and to fill
available for the long-term management one vacancy.
By Andy Wheele, Senior Structures of this bridge. High-tech monitoring over
Engineer, Network Rail. the course of a whole year will allow us to James Knight is managing director of
better understand the seasonal expansion Waveney River Centre and director
Reliability of Broads swing bridges over and contraction patterns that appear to of Horning Ferry Marina, a chartered
the summer months was not as good as be the root cause of the problems that surveyor and a toll payer.
hoped and while this justifies our affect reliability. We are currently finalising
planned course of action we were the remit for this study and hope to begin Michael Whitaker is Head of
still very disappointed. monitoring early this year. Operations for the Herbert Woods
Group, a member of the executive
In the summer we said that we would In the meantime, we continue to look for committee of the Broads Hire Boat
embark on a two phase course of action ways to help reduce the impact that both Federation and a toll payer.
at Somerleyton. planned works and unplanned disruption
have on river users. We have funded the Lorne Betts is a former boat builder
The first phase was substantially provision of further lay-up pontoons and who is now proprietor of Riverside
completed during a nine-day blockade of we hope to have electronic information Piling & Marine Valet, with expertise in
the railway in October, when we carried boards installed this year. piling and river works. He is also a
out steelwork repairs and refurbishment toll payer.
of the pivot mechanism. Working closely With the exception of a small number of
with the Broads Authority, we managed issues in the last few weeks, Reedham Company director Max Heron is a
to maintain a navigable passage for the and Oulton Broad continue to operate trustee and chairman of Whitlingham
vast majority of that time. We expect to with good reliability. Trowse remains Boathouses Foundation, a member
complete this phase this year. closed but is expected to be back in of Norwich Rowing Club and British
service by mid April at the latest. Rowing and a toll payer.
The second phase will involve a
Alan Goodchild is managing director
of Goodchild Marine Services
Ltd, chairman of Marine East and
a member of the British Marine
Federation committee.

7

Multi-skilled rangers boost Broads service

Ranger Matt Larkman checking boat speeds on a summer Super Safety Day Head of Ranger Services, Adrian Vernon,
said: “This new arrangement is working
Rangers are now fully trained in both navigation and countryside really well providing a much more flexible
management skills which is providing a versatile and efficient service service. It means rangers are able to cover
in managing the Broads. for each other in times of emergencies
and sickness. Instead of working in
The 18 rangers - ten full time and eight Former navigation rangers are now more isolation they perform as a team, sharing
seasonal - are divided into five teams involved in countryside management skills and knowledge. We are also able
which are responsible for their own such as brush cutting, chain saw handling to respond to river emergencies faster in
patch both on land and water. The areas, and footpath legislation while former our land based vehicles which are fully
Wroxham and Ant, Lower Bure/ Thurne, countryside rangers have qualified in equipped with salvage pumps and oil spill
Yare and Whitlingham Country Park, launch handling, navigation legislation, booms.”
Waveney and Breydon Water are all very enforcement and pollution control. They
different and have varying responsibilities are backed up by multi-skilled volunteers Sixty per cent of all the rangers’ time is
and usage. who are each attached to a team. now spent on the navigation function.
As well as assisting boaters and enforcing
byelaws they take their turn at being on
emergency call out of hours and working
on Broads control. The job ranges from
escorting large contractors’ barges to
different work sites and supervising
bridge closures at Reedham and
Somerleyton, to dealing with pollution
incidents and working with bodies
such as the UK Border Agency, Broads
Beat and the Environment Agency in
monitoring crime.

Land duties include liaising with
landowners in managing sites,
supervising public events and school visits
and supervising volunteers carrying out
practical conservation work.

A season on patrol From April 1st –October 31st 2011

 Broads Control dealt with 20,000  Norwich magistrates fined a boater  33 hazards to navigation have
telephone calls and 6,500 VHF £100 for overstaying on a 24 hour been removed
radio calls mooring and ordered him to pay
prosecution costs of £120  Breydon Water was closed to hire craft
 6,376 verbal warnings were given on nine occasions because of fog and
to boaters  21 pollution incidents, 13 of them high waves
caused by diesel, and eight caused
 5000 of these were for speeding, by sewage or cooking fat from  Broads rangers were sent by
mostly day boats restaurants, were dealt with Gt Yarmouth coastguard to assist
with 14 incidents
 219 written warnings were  All adjacent waters now surveyed and
handed out over 5,000 boats recorded On the Broads
To report any incident ring Broads Control
 1,000 people were warned about non On Breydon Water on 01603 756056
payment or non display of tolls  Rangers prevented 314 boats from
For an emergency ring 999
 543 people were reported for non going through the Gt Yarmouth
payment of tolls bridges when there was insufficient To keep up to date with navigation
headroom at high water issues visit www.broads-authority.gov.uk/
 242 were reported for not boating
displaying tolls  212 people were advised to stay within
the channel For the Authority’s navigation committee
 A total of 17 prosecution reports reports visit http://www.broads-
were submitted  7 crews were taken off stranded craft authority.gov.uk/authority/meetings/
navigation-committee
 In January Gt Yarmouth Magistrates  24 broken down craft were rescued
fined four people a total of £600 plus
£500 in costs for speeding. They had  184 skippers were spoken to about
all pleaded guilty their speed and wash

8 Ways you can go greener

Broads boaters urged to help lead • Use eco-friendly antifouling paints
the way in green boating or confine antifouling coverage to
the waterline
Barbara Greasley with Norfolk Broads Direct’s Green Boat Mark Award for Fair Sovereign
• Carry out winter cleaning of the
The Broads Authority is calling on all toll payers to lead the way in hull in a secure wash down bay to
green boating. prevent scrapings of paint or dust
entering the water
Earlier this year Norfolk Broads Direct of Norfolk Broads Direct sends customers
Wroxham became the first business in the information about the impact of • Use phosphate free detergents and
country to be awarded the pioneering phosphates on water quality prior to their toiletries
Green Boat Mark accreditation for hire arrival and advises them to use phosphate
boats which is a new strand of the Green free toiletries and washing up liquid, as • Recycle your rubbish
Tourism Business Scheme. Since then well as stocking some for purchase.
its entire fleet of 57 cruisers has been To encourage sustainable transport • Toilets should have holding tanks
awarded the Green Mark. they offer to pick up their clients from
Wroxham Station. • Do not dispose of cooking fat or oil
Other Broads hire boat yards are now into the river. Collect it for disposal
investigating joining the scheme and the This winter Norfolk Broads Direct is or recycling
Broads Authority hopes more private building four more cruisers for the 2012
boaters will adopt green measures too. season and is trialling a copper and tin- • Use solar panels to generate
free self polishing antifouling, Epifanes electricity and LED bulbs for
The award is based on 25 criteria specially Foul-Away, on two of them. On their lighting
developed for boats including eco-friendly other cruisers they have limited traditional
design, energy efficiency and waste antifouling to the waterline. • Engines should meet EC state 3B
management. emissions regulators for efficiency
Barbara Greasley of Norfolk Broads Direct,
Norfolk Broads Direct’s hire cruiser Fair who is chairman of Broads Tourism, says • Use engine heat to warm the cabin
Sovereign, the first to receive the award, that the Green Boat Mark bronze award is and hot water
has a low wash hull and its engine attainable by simply demonstrating
meets the current EU Stage 3 emissions good practice. • Use A rated energy efficient
requirements. Water is heated as a by- appliances
product of the engine cooling and the “You can get a green grading with the
majority of lighting is provided by boats that you’ve already got, simply by • Slow down! Not only does this
LED bulbs. changing products and the way that you reduce wash and river shallowing
work,” she says. caused by bank erosion, it also
saves money on fuel

The Green Mark scheme in the
Broads has been financed from the
European Regional Development
Fund as part of the STEP Interreg Two
Seas Programme which promotes
sustainable tourism in estuary parks.

For further information contact
Bruce Hanson on 01603 756030

Beware of spreading invasive species Subscribe to an electronic
copy of Broad Sheet at
The Department for Environment, Food thoroughly. If you find any organisms
and Rural Affairs (Defra) is calling on (plants and invertebrates) leave them at www.broads-authority.gov.uk
water users to ‘check, clean and dry’ their the place where you found them.
equipment when leaving the water to help Our website contains safety
stop the spread of invasive aquatic species • Dry all equipment and clothing. alerts and notices to mariners.
when they are moving from one water Just click ‘Update Me’ and follow
body to another. • Make sure you don’t transfer water the instructions.
from one water body to another. You can also sign up for our
e - newsletter Broads Explorer
• When leaving the water clean For more information visit
equipment, footwear and clothing www.direct.gov.uk/checkcleandry

BROAD SHEET is available as large print / audio tape • 01603 610734