Boat owners at Lancashire port face huge transport costs
Glasson Dock near Lancaster is a hub for shipping, boats and yachts. But it has suffered from broken infrastructure since last year. It connects the Irish Sea, the River Lune estuary, Glasson Marina and Lancaster Canal.
Sea gate problems have hit port and transport jobs[1], flood risks, sea and freshwater fish life, and tourism. And Lancaster Port Authority has been seeking extra power to expand its remit through a harbour revision order sent to the government, leading to objections from Lancaster city councillors. Since the problems began Lancaster Port Commission, the Environment Agency, the Canal & River Trust and Aquavista have been involved in attempts to progress the issues.
Now, a family boat owner and the boss of a road haulage firm based around Ramsbottom have highlighted their financial costs, in particular police charges to escort boats transported on lorries by road. Derek Abbot, from Holcombe, faces paying GBP2,000 or more to Lancashire Police to escort his family holiday homeboat Swallow from Fleetwood to Glasson Marina by road because it cannot currently access the marina by sea. Derek's boat has been based at Windermere in the Lake District and in Cheshire.
Recently, it has been at Fleetwood but he wants to moor it at Glasson Marina for new uses. Mr Abbott said: "My family are now grown up and we want to take the boat to Glasson, where it can earn its keep. "It's a big boat and comes in two upper and lower sections.
If it's transported by road, it has to go on two low-loader lorries, which is expensive in itself. "It's only 20 miles by road from Fleetwood to Glasson on a route avoiding the motorway, "Logistically, it is a common route.
But we've been told we'd have to pay for a police escort." Andrew Rosthorn, of Sealand Boat Deliveries, based near Summerseat, said Lancashire Police told him it would cost his firm, or the boat owner, GBP2,500 for a police escort to accompany the vessel if it was transported by road between Fleetwood and Glasson. The A588 at Conder Green is seen as a narrow stretch in particular.
Mr Rosthorn said the police said the convoy would be escorted by patrol cars[2] all the way from Fleetwood to Glasson Dock, including on the M55 and M6. But he believes haulage firms have the experience to provide road escorts. He said: "It must be obvious a police requirement for GBP2,500 to be paid to for yachts wider than four metres will sink the plans of many yacht and canal barge owners who use the crisis-ridden marina.
"Larger yachts and canal boats are classed as wide loads. Their transport along the only lorry route out of the port, the A588 from Conder Green to Lancaster, must be notified to Lancashire Police at least two working days before a move can happen. "Thirty years ago, the police often escorted these types of loads from Lancaster Services to Glasson Dock free of charge to the haulier."
Regarding Glasson Dock's current problems, Mr Rosthorn said: "I've seen the news reports about the alarming state of the 200-year-old port. "My firm has been busy for months saving boat owners' holiday plans and, in two cases, rescuing people's plans to make major voyages from the stricken marina. "We've also been able to move yachts by road from Glasson Dock to Fleetwood, where they can be launched and rigged to start their voyages.
"We have also brought a number of live-aboard boats to the marina by road. Canal boat owners have also been able to launch boats at Glasson Marina and then cruise on the Lancaster Canal." He said he had reported the Glasson situation to the Heavy Transport Association.
It and the Road Haulage Association released a report recently that estimates the cost to the UK of recent police restrictions on moving abnormal loads at nearly half a billion pounds per year. A Lancashire Police spokesperson said: "We work in line with the National Police Chief's Council national guidelines for escorting abnormal loads and the costs chargeable for such activity. "The primary concern is the legality of any movement on the route that has been notified.
In any case, where road traffic legislation cannot be complied with by a haulier, examples being contravening solid white lines or obstruction of the highway requiring oncoming traffic to be stopped to allow a wide or heavy load to proceed, then a police escort will be considered. "It is pertinent to say that no civilian escorts have the necessary legal authority to stop or control traffic under existing legislation. "It is the responsibility of the contracted haulier to assess the route, notify police of the movement and determine if the route and load can be moved legally without police assistance.
"Where this is not possible then the haulier will request a police escort which uses specially trained officers compliant with the College of Policing requirements.
"Lancashire Police are keen to continue to work with hauliers to ensure all road users have safe and compliant access to the highway."