Boaters will pay substantially higher tolls next year after the Broads Authority (BA) brought in an increase amid huge opposition and warnings it would drive firms out of business.
Members voted for a rise of 8.5pc, much to the dismay of many on the waterways who say it could have a devastating impact on the area's economy and threaten the viability of some boat yards.
The vote comes amid rising acrimony at the organisation and a widening rift between two factions - the so-called "parkies" and "navvies".
The navvies are those primarily concerned with the interests of 'navigation' and representing boaters and the boating industry.
The parkies are more focused on fulfilling the BA's national park obligations, such as conservation and promoting the area.
The authority had set out three options, with increases of 10.2pc, 8.5pc or 6.9pc.
It warned that the lowest rise would see cuts to river patrols. These were increased after a woman fell from a boat in Great Yarmouth and drowned in 2020.
But before the meeting James Knight, from the Broads Hire Boat Federation (BHBF) and a former BA member, wrote an open letter to current members urging them to instead reduce tolls and cut spending.
He warned that any rises would significantly damage the hire industry and many other Broads businesses which rely on tourists.
He said: "[The BA] tell you that, in order to maintain 'service levels', tolls must rise.
"But, in order to maintain a thriving boating industry, tolls must actually go down."
At the meeting, members of the authority’s board were split on the issue, with almost half calling for the 6.9pc increase.
Just three members supported the 13pc rise, with all switching to 8.5pc when it became clear it had more support.
Proponents of the larger increases said that river patrols - which would have to be cut without an increase - were essential for maintaining safety on the waterway, particularly at a time when more people were using the Broads to paddleboard. 
Kevin Maguire said: “There are standards we have to maintain and particularly in relation to safety.
“When I worked in enforcement, we used to say ‘I’d rather be explaining to a court why I insisted on it than explaining to a coroner why I didn’t.’”
Alan Goodchild, chair of the navigation committee which had supported the lowest rise argued that cutting rangers did not necessarily mean reducing safety.
It could mean patrols sent to where they are needed most, such as around Great Yarmouth.
Others argued it was not clear why the rangers could not be kept, and cuts made elsewhere.
Paul Hayden said: “A 6.9pc increase is the absolute maximum, I would like to see increases below that.”
John Packman, the chief executive, said: “Maintaining the Broads waterway has always been expensive and difficult and we recognise that the owners of larger private boats are now paying a greater proportion of the cost.
“Yet the number of private motor cruisers has remained constant at around 5,000.
“The authority’s costs are rising above inflation, and we have considered how the authority can reduce expenditure while minimising the impact on frontline services.”
WHAT DOES THE INCREASE MEAN?
The 8.5pc increase will add £4.40 to the current £52 charge for a 5m2 private sailing craft and £156.48 to the largest 48m2 weekly hired motorcraft’s current £1,840.32 charge.
BA bosses say the change will safeguard services while generating £4.53m over the next financial year.
THREE OPTIONS ON THE TABLE
The BA set out three options for tolls this year, increases of 10.2pc, 8.5pc or 6.9pc.
Option A (10.2pc) would maintain current levels of river patrols and see cash set aside for the authority to be able to purchase new equipment.
Option B (8.5pc) would see patrols kept but no cash set aside.
Option C (6.9pc) would see reduced patrols and no money saved.
Figures from the boating industry said there should have been an option to actually reduce tolls, with the BA required to cut its spending instead.
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