Norfolk Broads hire boat firms at risk with toll increases

Senior members of the Broads Authority (BA) have warned that a triple whammy of poor weather, cost-of-living pressures and controversial toll increases had hammered some boating businesses.

Daniel Thwaite, a member of the authority's navigation committee, told a recent meeting: “The hire boat industry has had an awful season, not a mildly bad season, an awful season." 

Mr Thwaites, who is also the financial director for hire firm Barnes Brinkcraft, said poor weather had been a factor.

But members also said rising prices had discouraged people from holidaying on the Broads and debated the impact of the BA's increase in tolls and the pressure it was putting on the hire industry.

Boat tolls were raised by 13pc earlier this year, adding more than £200 to the cost for a large weekly-hired vessel. The hike drew heavy criticism from private boat owners and hire businesses.

John Packman, chief executive of the Broads Authority (Image: Tom Barrett)

The meeting also heard that the authority's income from tolls was down on expectations, leaving a hole in the budget of around £70,000. 

BA's chief executive John Packman dismissed concerns that the gap had been caused by the increase in tolls driving people away from the waterways.

He said: “I don’t think it is the toll increase, I don’t think it is larger boats being raised out of the water. 

“Work we have done suggests it is smaller, private boats. It is difficult to know why, but I think it is probably a lot more to do with the weather than anything else."  

He accepted it “hasn’t been a brilliant year” for hire boat firms, which he also blamed on the weather. 

Mr Packman said there would be further discussions about tolls for next year in October.