It was subsequently welcomed by the Canal & River Trust’s Board, which thanks the Commissioners and endorses the report’s analysis and main conclusions.
Independent Commission’s review of the framework for boat licensing
The report from the independent Commission set up to review the legal framework around boat licensing and whether it is appropriate for the canal network’s future has now been published.
The Commission was chaired by Andrew Cowan, a former senior partner at law firm Devonshires. Over ten months it undertook an extensive review, engaging with several thousand individuals and organisations via a public online survey, and then meeting with and receiving further submissions from many representative groups.
In the immediate term current licensing arrangements will remain in place, however the Report has concluded that boat licensing needs reform to reflect the current and future use of the waterways and notes the considerable work ahead for the Trust to consider the recommendations in detail.
You can also view the Commission online:
Moving forward with Commission recommendations
The Trust will be taking forward the recommendations from the Boating Commission in phases as part of a wider plan to improve the experience of boating on the waterways, which also includes more investment in day-to-day navigational maintenance.
From April 2026 there will be further investment in day-to-day spend to directly improve the boater experience. In 2025/26 over £2 million additional investment will be made to fix leaking lock gates, tackle overgrowing trees and encroaching weeds and start a phased increase in dredging. The Trust is continuing the investment introduced last year to target broken paddles and fix boater facilities more quickly, bringing the total investment to over £10 million in two years to improve canals for boaters.
How the Trust is performing against the Better Boating Plan targets can be seen on the dashboards on the Trust’s website. Performance measures for the additional investment will be published in April 2026.
Boating Commission recommendations
The Trust has grouped the 36 recommendations from the Boating Commission into four themes:
Clarity:
- Movement requirements
- Legislation consolidation
- Transparent information and impact analysis
Effectiveness:
- Licence refusal powers
- Dealing with abandoned/sunken boats
- Timely, targeted, proportionate enforcement
Fairness:
- Licence fee discount review
- Equitable waterspace sharing - demand management
- Legal safeguards on Trust enforcement powers
Relationships:
- Communications
- Stakeholder engagement
- Better support for liveaboards in need
- Review of enforcement approach and process
Boating Commission phases
The Boating Commission recommendations will be taken forward in three phases:
Phase one
Phase one of the Trust’s response is already underway with changes that can be started immediately, including a review of the Trust’s many communications with boaters to make them clearer, improve tone, and to recognise and understand the varying communications needs of boaters. Options for enhancing welfare support will be outlined, for implementation in Phase 2, and testing of a new Boater App will be underway by the summer. Phase 1 will also include a programme to increase the removal of sunken and abandoned boats on the canal network.
Phase two
Phase two (likely to last until end of 2027) covers recommendations that will involve consultation with boaters and boating organisations. This will include clarification of movement requirements for boats without a home mooring, a review of boat safety and insurance requirements to ensure boats are fit for navigation, and a review of licence fee discounts.
Phase three
Phase three (expected to be 2028 and beyond) will look at changes that would require new legislation. These recommendations are around seeking additional powers to manage the waterways fairly and effectively, including measures to help manage congested areas and new powers around issuing and enforcing licences, while ensuring legal safeguards for boaters. The Trust will engage with boaters throughout, including through formal consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are 'charitable objects?'
'Charitable objects' are the core goals and objectives that define a charity's reason for being and are the specific purposes for which a charity is established and operates. A full list of the Trust’s charitable objects is available on the Charity Commission's website.
What is a Commission?
A Commission is a group of people who have been formally chosen to discover information about a subject or examine the reasons why an issue exists.
Why have you looked into this now?
It has been 30 years since the British Waterways Act 1995 was passed and, in that time, there have been many changes to the canal network and how it is managed, the number of boats licensed on our waterways, and the way people are choosing to use their boats. We believe it to have been a sensible time to take a fresh look at how we licence boats on our waters and help us consider whether it would be sensible to consider possible changes that better reflect the use of the network, today and in the future.
What did the Commission cover?
The Commission wanted to understand what licensing issues exist or can be predicted, evaluate options for mitigating them, and make recommendations to the Board of Trustees of the Canal & River Trust. More details can be found in the Terms of Reference, which were ratified at the Commission’s first meeting in January 2025.
Has the Commission decided on future licence prices?
No, the Trust decides annual licence prices. We have already set out our plans for licence price changes up to 2028, and these won't change. All decisions on proposals for change coming out from the work of the Commission will remain with the Board of Trustees of the Canal & River Trust.
Who are the members of the Commission?
It was chaired by Andrew Cowan, a former senior partner at Devonshires law firm; Penelope Barber, one of the elected boating representatives on the Trust’s Council; and trustee Sir Chris Kelly, a former senior civil servant and former boat owner.
When did the Commission run?
The Commission started its review in January 2025 and finished in November 2025.
Who does the Commission report to?
The Commission’s report will be submitted to our Board of Trustees who will consider the recommendations and decide whether, and if so, on how to take them forward. During its operation, the Commission was overseen by the newly constituted Boating Sub-Committee of the Board, chaired by David Orr CBE, our chair.
When did Canal & River Trust receive the report?
The report was delivered to the Canal & River Trust’s Board of Trustees in November 2025 and was discussed at their meeting on 19 November 2025. David Orr, Chair of the Board, instructed its external publication the same day.
When will Canal & River Trust provide details of its approach to the recommendations in the report?
The Trustees and executive team have welcomed the recommendations and feedback received. We will now begin detailed work on proposals for pursuing the recommendations in the report. We will take this forward as quickly as possible, recognising that some proposals will require relevant impact assessment, further consultation and engagement with boaters and others may require new or amended legislation. A timetable for consultation and engagement will be published in late spring 2026.
What does this mean for my licence terms and conditions?
There are no immediate changes to licence terms and conditions, existing legislation, or the way we manage our waterways.
Can I speak to someone at the Trust about the report?
There will be opportunities for boaters and other stakeholders to engage with the Trust and participate in consultation on recommendations from the commission. A timetable for consultation and engagement will be published in late spring 2026.
How can I keep up to date with information from the Trust on its progress with the report?
We will publish any new information on this webpage. You can also sign up to the Boaters’ Update, where we will signpost any updates as they become available.
Meeting minutes
Last Edited: 12 February 2026
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