East Anglia Press Releases for the Norfolk & Suffolk Broads with Press Releases and Articles from the Broads Authority in East Anglia, and the East of England UK.

The Broads Authority has accepted the Navigation Committee's proposals that tolls should rise by 9.9% for private boat owners and 6.1% for hire boats from April 1st 2007 to pay for an extra £100,000 in dredging.

The rise in tolls follows a strategy agreed with both boating representatives and the Government that Government funding would increase and tolls would continue to rise above inflation to improve the maintenance of the Broads. In 2007/08 a record £750,000 will be spent on dredging.

The role of the Authority's Navigation Committee has been reviewed as part of the consultation on the Authority's Bill, now lodged in Parliament, strengthening its role as an advisory and scrutiny body on navigation matters.

In particular a new format for the publication of all navigation income and expenditure is being developed.

Kerry Turner, Chairman of the Broads Authority stated:

"This is a good outcome for the Broads and its users. Boat owners, through their tolls, make an important contribution to the maintenance of the area, which matches the contribution from the wider population through Government Grant. The advice of the Navigation Committee on this and other navigation issues is very welcome."

Martin Broom, Chairman of the Navigation Committee, stated:

"I am pleased that the Authority has accepted the advice of the Navigation Committee on this issue. As representatives of users we are acutely aware of the need to balance the issues of affordability and the commitment to generate additional income for the maintenance of the Broads."

Typical examples of the increases are:

* A rowing boat currently paying £20 will pay £21.98, next year, an increase of £1.98.
* A sailing dinghy paying £46.82 this year will pay approximately an extra £4.60.
* A large yacht paying £109 this year will pay roughly an extra £10.80
* A private motor-boat paying £157 will pay approximately an extra £15.50 while a bigger boat paying £240 will pay about an extra £24.

Reproduced by kind permission of Broads Authority.