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New Broads Chief To Hear Boaters’ Toll Concerns

Monday, 12 October 2026 10:57

Broads Authority chief executive Sarah Cowley says she wants to hear boaters’ concerns as annual navigation tolls face renewed scrutiny.

The new chief executive of the Broads Authority says she wants to hear concerns from boat owners about the cost of using the waterways.

Sarah Cowley took over the organisation in August and says striking the right balance between affordable tolls and maintaining safe navigation is one of the challenges facing the authority.

Annual navigation charges are paid by vessels using the Broads and provide much of the funding needed to maintain the waterways.

Charges increased by 3.5% for the 2026/27 season, following larger rises in some previous years.

The Broads Authority says the number of boats registered on the waterways has continued to fall, reflecting wider pressures on boat ownership and the hire industry.

Around 11,000 boats currently use the Broads.

Ms Cowley says the authority will be looking closely at value for money and wants to hear from people who feel they are not getting a fair deal.

A public meeting is also being planned to allow boaters to raise concerns directly.

The authority says navigation income helps fund work including dredging, maintaining banks and moorings, managing vegetation and keeping waterways safe.

Ms Cowley says the challenge is maintaining those services without making boating increasingly unaffordable.

 

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