Nearly 1,200 boaters have applied to take part in the Canal & River Trust’s Citizens’ Boater Panel, which will help shape a forthcoming consultation on changes to the boat licensing system.
The consultation is due to launch in December 2026 and is being developed with boaters and boating organisations following recommendations from the Independent Commission on Boat Licensing.
The trust has completed stakeholder workshops and is recruiting a Citizens’ Boater Panel to provide input on the consultation materials before they are published. Around 40 volunteer boaters will be selected through an independent, anonymised process intended to reflect the diversity of the boating community.
Applications for the panel have now closed.
The panel’s launch followed a survey showing boater satisfaction had fallen after drought disruption this summer. In its 2026 Annual Boaters’ Survey results, Canal & River Trust found overall satisfaction at 50 per cent, down from 55 per cent in 2025 but remaining above the 2024 low point of 46 per cent.
During the summer, the trust held workshops with members of its Navigation Advisory Group, boater representatives and national boating organisations. The sessions covered the scope of the consultation and how information about potential changes should be presented.
The trust says that feedback from the workshops has focused on the need for the consultation to be evidence-based, explain the reasons for proposed changes, reflect different boating experiences and identify areas where responses could influence future decisions.
The trust is also preparing an evidence paper covering each of the 36 recommendations made by the Independent Commission. The work is intended to establish where sufficient evidence is already available, identify gaps in existing knowledge and determine where further research may be needed before proposals can progress.
Matthew Symonds, head of boating and customer service at Canal & River Trust, says: “Boat licensing matters to everyone on the water, so it’s important that we take the time to develop this consultation carefully and collaboratively.
“We’ve been encouraged by the level of engagement we’ve seen so far, both through our stakeholder workshops and through the response to the Citizens’ Boater Panel recruitment.
“The feedback we’ve received is helping us create a consultation that is clear, evidence-based and focused on the areas where public input can have the greatest impact. We’re grateful to everyone who has contributed to the process so far and look forward to hearing from boaters when the consultation launches in December.”
Further information is available on the Canal & River Trust’s website.
The post Nearly 1,200 boaters apply for Canal & River Trust citizens’ panel appeared first on Marine Industry News.