Hmm....We told 'em this would happen.

[Phil Chitty]

How many more times are the PC enviro - weenies gonna get their way and cause situations like this?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/4525958.stm

[MikeH]

See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/4521944.stm. The national park (LDNPA) needs to claw back £1 million due to this years shortfall.

So, we have the National Park losing as well as the local businesses and economy.

Notice the difference between here and Loch Lomond where they have just made some sensible adjustments to the speed limits. Intrestingly the Loch Lomond And Trossachs National Park canvassed the economic impact of the bye law review.

Never mind, in a short time when they've spent all their money on gaining world heritage status the only things left will be the sheep.

[Jimbob]

Hard luck i say, they should have studied this better, we all know boating is expensive.

We used to go twice a year with the Rib not anymore

I do feel sorry if people lose their jobs

[roycruse]

I reckon the whole countries Wake Sufing comunity should descend on lake Windermere and show the LDNPA that 10 knots is not slow enough to stop people tearing up the lake.



http://209.242.151.8/boardz/WhatTimeItIs_256kbs.wmv
http://209.242.151.8/boardz/SurfSkat...pe_256kbps.wmv
http://www.jfoto.com/WakeSurfing.htm

These guys use "heavilly" balasted wakeboard or waterski boats to kick up the biggest wake you can imagine and then they ride this wake on a cut down surfboard. And all at Under 10 knots.

Then they will be forced to lower the speed limit to like 5 knots - which will even piss off people in canoes

Surely then they will end up reversing the ban !!!

Or maybe not

[MikeCC]

Not really surprising - a lot of the opposition hinged on economic impact. Presumably anyone with a boat-related business was stuffed one way or the other. Once the ban was being discussed, their business essentially became unsaleable and now of course there's no business to be had.

Pedalo rentals all round then.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by roycruse

I reckon the whole countries Wake Sufing comunity should descend on lake Windermere and show the LDNPA that 10 knots is not slow enough to stop people tearing up the lake.



http://209.242.151.8/boardz/WhatTimeItIs_256kbs.wmv
http://209.242.151.8/boardz/SurfSkat...pe_256kbps.wmv
http://www.jfoto.com/WakeSurfing.htm

These guys use "heavilly" balasted wakeboard or waterski boats to kick up the biggest wake you can imagine and then they ride this wake on a cut down surfboard. And all at Under 10 knots.

Then they will be forced to lower the speed limit to like 5 knots - which will even piss off people in canoes

Surely then they will end up reversing the ban !!!

Or maybe not

Brilliant idea!!!

[MikeH]

Windermere Action Force have been trying to develop the wake surfing idea. Not sure about how successful they've been since its a fairly limited sport. I would surely love to help any team that wanted to have a go.

Not really surprising - a lot of the opposition hinged on economic impact. Presumably anyone with a boat-related business was stuffed one way or the other. Once the ban was being discussed, their business essentially became unsaleable and now of course there's no business to be had.

Its not just boat related business. 50 % of all businesses reported reduced spend this year. The National Park Authority is forecast £1million down. Then there's the council + local businesses. That's Hotels/shops/restaurants/campsites/ . . . There is no real prospect of replacement revenue so now we are seeing the true cost of conservation ( or trying to reverse the march of progress and restore the lakes to what they were 50 years ago )

If this was a situation where there had been no previous boating activitythen there would be loads of people promoting boating as a revenue earner.

[fred bolton]

"The LDNPA says it has a duty to protect the landscape for the public"

Don't see how "speed" boats damage the landscape.

Perhaps these businesses should be knocking on Chris Bonnington's door I believe he was the driving force behind this "great idea"

We went to the lake district several times a year and not just for boating we also went walking and took in the many excellent plays at the Keswick theatre. but not been since the ban came in.

[fred bolton]

The other thing is even if they did reverse the decision how many people would return? We wouldn't, we are firm fans of Pathelli and Jono Garton's Training courses

[MikeH]

The LDNPA says it has a duty to protect the landscape for the public

Surely thats a typo. Should be from the public..

While Chris Bonnington was vociferous in his support even He doesn't have the power to give a steer to a quango like the LDNPA.

I'm always pleasantly surprised to hear how many people used to make trips to the Lakes from all over the UK. We used to use it for day trips for some water skiiing. I'm sure when they did their sums ( or didn't) they figured the catchment area was Lancs, Yorks, Northumberland. But peeps used to come from far and wide and stay a couple of days, fuel-up, eat, drink, slipway fees spend in shops, ice creams . . .

[codprawn]

Isn't strange how walkers are welcome everywhere - they are banning 4x4s from places like the Brecon beacons and yet millions of walkers do untold damage and make one hell of a mess - they even destroyed a bronze age burial cairn on top of pen y fan thinking it was just a pile of rocks - they took the stones to make windbreaks etc!!!

The tops of some of these peaks don't have a single blade of grass anymore but that is fine because it has been done by "walkers" - reckon they should stick to crisps!!!

[Pete7]

Have you ever thought of standing as a politician ?

Pete

[codprawn]

Nah - should just try a coup instead!!!

[Nate]

Similar thing with Dartmoor a few years ago. Mountain bikes banned from bridle paths etc. Spoke to one Park Ranger and he candidly admitted that damage by horses and walkers was much greater that damage from cycles, but erosion as a problem, and they couldn't get away with banning horses or walkers!