Morning:
8°c
Houseboat families priced off Thames, says Vince Cable
Nicholas Cecil, Deputy Political Editor10 Mar 2010
Artists, pensioners and low-paid workers are being driven out of houseboats on the Thames by soaring licence fees, Vince Cable is claiming.
The Twickenham MP spoke out against the “gentrification” of the river by rises in levies from the Port of London Authority. He stressed that many houseboat residents, who could not afford to buy a London home on land, were facing large and often incomprehensible increases in the cost of a licence.
The Lib-Dem Treasury chief, who has 200 houseboat inhabitants in his constituency, said: “The less well-off are being forced out to be replaced by the affluent.”
He claimed one of his constituents had faced a 60 per cent increase in licence charges to £1,700 a year, following a 200 per cent rise five years ago, while another was facing a doubling of the fees to £30,000.
The port authority stressed it had to maintain the river. It added that some of the figures quoted by Mr Cable were for groups of moored vessels. “When this is considered, the weekly charge per boat is very reasonable,” said a spokesman.
Reader views (8)
Under a 'socialist' government, more and more people are being priced out of their dwelling places in inner city and central London. All but the big earners are being driven out. As council homes are being sold off then re-sold in the private sector at vastly inflated prices, poorer wage earners are being edged out of London. Key workers like firemen, teachers, police, nurses and auxiliary staff, as well as all the service and transport workers are having to live further and further out.
There will come a time, when public transport links become broken down, they're so antiquated. It's already overcrowded by sheer numbers, that all the upper earners who are increasingly being left in sole occupation of inner London, will be marooned into having to do all the essential and menial jobs for themselves!
London has always been a city where its poorer wage earners lived side by side with its wealthier citizens. It's worked well for all for centuries. Driving out all but the well heeled from inner London is a disaster waiting to happen and very poor policy making.
- J Johnstone, London, 11/03/2010 11:33
Report abuse
This is not just a problem on the Thames. Canal boat owners are bing subjected to the same treatment bu British Waterways.By getting rid of the boats they are then able to sell off the river or canal frontage to the highest bidder.I lived on a narrow boat until Sept 2006, BW made life intolleerable, ruining the moorings at Foxton Locks near Market Harborough, the place is a shambles. All they want is money, canals and rivers are not meant for boats acording to their actions, although they will never say it.
- John Bandey, Cerilly . France, 11/03/2010 10:18
Report abuse
Council tax freeze? Let's raise revenue anyway we can.
- Bloke, Lambeth, 10/03/2010 16:02
Report abuse
Trivia like this gives me a sinking feeling. Well done Vince, keep up the good work.
- Abominable Snow Man, London, 10/03/2010 14:38
Report abuse
If by "Vince has really got his finger on the pulse of what issues the public are concerned about" you mean people other than yourself Roy, I'd suggest that he has.
Or how would YOU like YOUR rent tripled one year, only to face a 60% hike just five years later?
Should none of us care about that if it happened to you? After all, what happens to you doesn't affect me.
This may be a shock, but MP's can be involved in more than one thing at a time you know. Enquiring about why the Port of London Authority is purposely driving poorer people out of their homes needn't occupy Mr Cable 24/7...
- John T, London, 10/03/2010 13:02
Report abuse
theres the clue
"The Lib-Dem Treasury chief, who has 200 houseboat inhabitants in his constituency"
desperatly grubbing in the Thames mud for a few votes.
lets hope he doesnt drag up a turd or two.
- Kedge, marlboro wilts, 10/03/2010 12:16
Report abuse
Vince has really got his finger on the pulse of what issues the public are concerned about hasn't he ?
- Roy Grainger, London, 10/03/2010 11:25
Report abuse
The port of London authority is a law unto itself, part trust part quango that Cable needs to look at it's board and exetutives to give him some idea why they are systematically trying to remove the riff raff from the capitals rivers.
- James, Essex, 10/03/2010 11:00
Report abuse
