dont let it happen anywhere else

[Jimbob]

Hi all again

Over the last two weeks we have been in Windermere and whilst we had a great time we did miss going out on the water (next year we are going to charter a sailing boat).

Whilst reading an article about Lock Lomond and potential speed restrictions, it struck me that history will repeat itself (e.g. certain areas restricted).

I also read in the same magazine that the restriction has been a success at Windermere and then read that a lot of people have suffered. The best quote was a firm that sold canoe’s, stating that due to the speed limit, more people were purchasing canoe’s. What I think that the overall picture has forgotten is how much people spend in total, e.g. berthing, servicing, and buying the boat.

So whilst out and about I asked a few people

Watersports Manager (White cross bay) – “as you can see there are very few boats here now”

Bob the Taxi Driver – “we have suffered we used to take a lot boaters, this year virtually nothing”

Shepard’s “we are moving”

Personally I think they have spoiled it for a lot of people and I hope it does not happen elsewhere.

Any views?

[simmons0]

Hate it, we've been going for 2 weeks a year for about 8 years, had some great holidays. Learnt to sail, kayak, waterski and wakeboard on windermere and think its a great shame they've bought in this ban.

[codprawn]

What sums it up perfectly is that the agency who introduced this despite the MAJORITY no wanting it - are now in financial troubles because of it. They have had to cut back on the number of their safety boats which is rather worrying for the users still there!!!

Also people with slower boats who have remained are now looking at higher charges!!!

It is a case of total madness - amazing all the things like this that happen under Blair's new Labour - like Pendine sands being closed to cars after 100 years - despite again the MAJORITY being against the closure!!!

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by codprawn

It is a case of total madness - amazing all the things like this that happen under Blair's new Labour - like Pendine sands being closed to cars after 100 years - despite again the MAJORITY being against the closure!!!

Yes, but as with a lot of things, it's the minority that make their voices heard, their arguments carry, and their presence felt to a far greater degree than the majority.

I think that especially in the case of Windermere, the wider implications of the speed limit were not fully considered, and that is a real shame.

[fred bolton]

Originally Posted by codprawn

What sums it up perfectly is that the agency who introduced this despite the MAJORITY no wanting it - are now in financial troubles because of it. They have had to cut back on the number of their safety boats which is rather worrying for the users still there!!!

Also people with slower boats who have remained are now looking at higher charges!!!

It is a case of total madness - amazing all the things like this that happen under Blair's new Labour - like Pendine sands being closed to cars after 100 years - despite again the MAJORITY being against the closure!!!

S**t am I losing it I'm in total agreement with Codders

[fred bolton]

I thought I'd miss it but the opposite's the case you find new places to go and often they are better in my case the Lleyn Peninsular. Why go to Windermere it's only 10 miles long, there and back in 1/2 an hour + it was very expensive to launch, register and store your boat.

I'm sure that walking on the fells will be more peaceful now that the persistent whining and droning of jet skis is no longer there. The're great if your sat on one but a pain if you want to enjoy the scenery in peace and quiet.

I've seen quite a few reports of local businesses bemoaning the downturn in trade.

So thanks Chris Bonnington and Co I now have more fun with great new friends in Pwllheli and it's cheaper.

[DGR]

...the National Park policymakers do appear to be a bit random wrt activities within their 'territories'.

For example, last year, the Lake District National Park decided to stop funding the guided walks because there weren't enough minority groups going on them - it was mainly attracting able bodied, white, middle-aged, city folk.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/4261818.stm

They eventually agreed to continue funding it (see link) and take a more sensible approach to attracting the groups that don't generally visit the Lakes - but it illustrates the point. I don't have that much faith in the judgement of the National Park Authorities, or the people that manage SSSIs either .

Don't get me wrong, we need them, and in the big scheme of things they are very good - I just wish they 'decided' things on a balanced (sensible ) basis.

D...

[Mike Martin]

Why not add your voices to this:

http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/me...e_tourism.html

Mike

[Jimbob]

Interesting, we noticed that trade was down, but did not realise how much.

[CJL]

Have a look at this site:-

http://www.waf.uk.com

I noticed that Windermere Aquatic, the only company to import bayliners in the UK were at the Southampton Boat Show with a new name, Aquatic! Who else is going???

Spotted this on the site too:

A ROW HAS ERUPTED over millions of pounds being lost to the Lake District after the imposition of a controversial 10mph speed limit on Windermere.

Cumbria Tourist Board says the lakes face losing £7m a year because of the limit imposed by the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA).

It says tourism businesses now face "serious problems".

But the LDNPA has questioned what the tourist board is doing to protect the interests of its members.

Figures from the tourist board reveal 41% of all tourism businesses reported a drop in trade in the first five months of this year.

Of those, 53% in the area around Windermere attributed the fall directly to the introduction of the speed limit.

Windermere's tourist information centre received 10,000 fewer inquiries in the same period.

National park bosses imposed the limit to bring tranquillity back to the lake.

The board's chief executive, Ian Stephens, said: "The national park authority has a duty to foster the economic and social wellbeing of local communities as well as to conserve the environment.

"The figures and evidence we are receiving from the tourism industry suggest that the impact of the speed limit has been greater than some organisations anticipated.

"It is now clear that it is causing serious problems and everyone must be prepared to take action to help local businesses."

Mr Stephens said the national park authority should give thought to continuing and building on its events programme and abandon its proposals to disinvest in tourist information centres.

He added: "This is clearly not a good time to be taking measures that will have additional negative effects on the local economy."

Primary role

But a spokesman for the LDNPA said the tourist board and local businesses had five years' notice of the imposition of the speed limit.

He said the authority's primary role was to look after the landscape and ensure people enjoyed the national park.

He added: "The law says we are not an economic regeneration body.

"What have the economic regeneration agencies done ... and what has Cumbria Tourist Board done to support its members?

"There is a solution to this and that is for everyone to focus on what they do best.

"What the national park authority does best is creating a landscape which attracts 12 million visitors a year to the Lake District."