Cambridge 48-hour Visitor Moorings

[djm]

GOBA issued the following Press Release on 19th June 2006:

Cambridge visitor moorings ban reversed by City Council following
campaign by GOBA and local boaters.

Following a strenuous campaign by GOBA and the resignation of the
councillor who decided to ban visitors a meeting with the revised
Council group resulted in agreement to re-instate the 48 hour
visitor moorings with immediate effect. The six residential boats
have been found places amongst the other 70 licensed boats as was
suggested by GOBA and the residential support group `Camboaters' to
the Council right from the start.

In April, GOBA (the Great Ouse Boating Association) wrote to
Cambridge City Council stating its intention to apply to the High
Court for a Judicial Review of the proceedings of the Community
Services Scrutiny Committee and the Executive Councillor's decision
to allow six residential boats to take-over the only city visitor
moorings for at least this year, as`they [the owners] were reliant
upon living on a boat in Cambridge'.

Chris Grant, chairman of GOBA said "This is a victory for
common sense and for the thousands of boaters who have visited
Cambridge over the years. In 2006, we were facing the prospect of
wiping Cambridge off the tourist boating map but now we can again
look forward to a future that includes this great city in our
cruising. We would like to thank all the boating organisations and
press who have given tremendous support, particularly the RYA (Royal
Yachting Association) for their legal assistance and Camboaters for
making space available within their licensed area. The original
decision to ban visitors was desperately short-sighted and triggered
an emotional and vigorous reaction amongst boaters to protect their
right to moor overnight in Cambridge, as would be expected in any
other town or city en route.

There is still work to be done to formulate a sensible mooring
policy as the re-instated mooring does not yet include the original
bank opposite adjacent to Jesus Lock as it should. Some of the
proposals by the Council to make boaters pre-book on the internet
and pay for mooring, indicate to us how little they understand the
traditions, practicalities and needs of boaters. We are confident
though that we can work proactively with the revised Council team
and with Camcon who are responsible for the Cam and other local
boating groups to resolve this before the 2007 season."