Oxford City Council have begun providing eco-mooring bollards in an attempt to decrease the use of diesel engines and wood burning on the county’s waterways.
In 2023, the Council and the Canal & River Trust were awarded £193,000 from the Government’s annual Air Quality Grant, to install the bollards at visitor moorings on the Aristotle Lane canal.
The eco-moorings consist of three electric pillars, each containing two sockets, enabling up to six visiting boaters to plug in. There are five 16-amp sockets and one 32-amp socket which will support the charging of electric boats.
It is thought that Oxford has around 140 boaters living on the rivers and canals, 70% of who are visiting. These short-stay moorings in particular are badly served with an electricity supply across the waterway network. Without electricity boaters turn to diesel engines for power and often wood burning stoves for heating.
The Council and Canal & River Trust will also be working to deliver health, air quality and energy advice to boaters through the project. This will include ways and opportunities to transition to cleaner energy systems, as well as information on how to use their current heating in the most efficient way.
The issue of air quality around canals was highlighted recently when Sadiq Khan promised to tackle the issue of air pollution caused by barges and narrowboats in London, saying he would make the same progress in relation to cleaning up our rivers as he had cleaning up the roads.
Councillor Anna Railton, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Zero Carbon Oxford, Oxford City Council said: ‘It is fantastic that Oxford’s first eco-moorings are now here and ready to use. Many boaters have no other choice but to use wood-burning and diesel generators to keep warm, but this can be harmful to their health and that of their neighbours. These eco-moorings will provide boaters with the ability to use cleaner forms of heating.’
Ros Daniels, Director for London & South East, Canal & River Trust added: ‘While boats are a very minor contributor to overall air pollution when compared to road traffic and other sources of emissions, we recognise that they can have a localised impact on air quality; indeed, those most at risk from boat engine fumes are boaters themselves.
‘These first eco moorings outside London are the start of a journey for boaters on the Oxford Canal towards reducing emissions. I am delighted that our charity has been able to work in partnership with Oxford City Council to deliver them in time for the busy summer season.’
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