Concern it is ‘no longer safe’ to moor canalboats in Yorkshire market town due to anti-social behaviour

By Thomas Barrett
Published 23rd Feb 2023, 16:38 BST
Updated 23rd Feb 2023, 17:04 BST
There is concern that it’s unsafe to moor canalboats in Skipton due to youths throwing objects at boats and kicking them from the towpath.

A meeting of Craven District Council’s select (crime and disorder) committee this week, councillors put questions to the Conservative North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoe Metcalfe and NYP’s neighbourhood policing inspector for Craven, inspector Julie Earnshaw.

Coun David Staveley read out a statement on behalf of Coun Andrew Solloway, Independent councillor for Skipton South, that said anti-social behaviour on the towpath is forcing owners to avoid mooring their boats there.

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He said: “There are reports of boats being kicked, things thrown on them, boats being untied and set adrift.

There is concern that it’s unsafe to moor canalboats in Skipton due to youths throwing objects at boats and kicking them from the towpath.There is concern that it’s unsafe to moor canalboats in Skipton due to youths throwing objects at boats and kicking them from the towpath.
There is concern that it’s unsafe to moor canalboats in Skipton due to youths throwing objects at boats and kicking them from the towpath.

“There’s concern a growing impression Skipton is no longer a safe place to moor up and as such people are mooring their boats elsewhere. People have reported instances to the police but some people are simply moving boats away from area.”

Coun Solloway asked the inspector if the force would increase patrols on the towpath to try and deter the troublemakers.

He added: “Some boat owners are single, some are lone women and there are vulnerable people.

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“It’s very sad to see a town based on a waterway that has boat owners —who are not permanent residents of Skipton but contribute to our economy — now regard Skipton as not a nice place to moor up.”

Insp Earnshaw said the force has received 16 reports of anti-social behaviour on the towpath but the real figure was much higher due to boat owners not reporting incidents to the police.

She said the problem had been ongoing without the police knowing about, however, officers are now working with boat owners to help identify the likely culprits.

Insp Earnshaw added:

“We’ve managed to get the canal boat owners on board with us, in terms of reporting but also gathering evidence. We’ve managed to get evidence with identided offenders who r in process of being identity and soon to be interviewed.”

“It’s an extremely small group and we know who these people are. We do have the resources to deal with it and were hoping to bring it to an end extremely soon.”