Listening and responding to boaters is at the heart of our new strategy and the survey will track the ‘word on the cut'.
Starting in June, there will be three waves of research every year. The views of around 1,000 randomly selected boaters will be gathered each time, with invitations sent out by independent research agency BDRC Continental, who are conducting the survey for us.
The survey will be sent to different boaters each time and, over the next two years, it is expected that all boaters who have registered their email address with the boat licensing office will have been invited to take part.
Broaden our thinking
Richard Parry, Canal & River Trust chief executive, said: “Hearing what boaters are saying is vital if we are going to build better understanding of their priorities, and broaden our thinking about how we can make the very best of the waterways in our care. This new regular survey will help us tap into how boaters feel about the Trust, and their experience of using our canals and rivers. We'll be able to use this information to help us plan our works programme, and to address any areas where we may be falling short. If you receive an invitation to take part in the survey please do take part – sharing your feedback will make a difference.”
A short report on key attitudes will be published after each round of the BOAT.
