The results of the Canal & River Trust’s Annual Boaters’ Survey have been released.
CARRIED out in November and March, the survey showed that boater satisfaction has increased to 55%, up from 46% in 2024. The charity said this follows the introduction of its Better Boating Plan, which was developed in partnership with boaters and launched late last year to address key concerns and improve boaters’ experiences on the network. But the trust also acknowledged that challenges remain, with issues such as dredging, boating costs and navigation stoppages continuing to be raised.
The most marked gains have been seen among liveaboard boaters. Satisfaction among liveaboard continuous cruisers has risen from 40% to 53% and among liveaboard boaters with a home mooring from 35% to 47%. Satisfaction among leisure boaters remains relatively stable at about 59%.
The survey also shows significant signs of improvement in perceptions of the general upkeep of the waterways (6% drop in negative sentiment), stoppages (-24%) vegetation management (-17%) and boater engagement (-6%). While these areas are still a work in progress, said the CRT, this upturn in sentiment is a positive base to build on. Other measures such as favourability, advocacy and trust in the charity have also seen modest improvements.
The survey was carried out in two waves between November and March and was sent to about a third of the CRT’s boat licence holders. It received 1742 responses, in line with the previous best performing sample for the survey (2018) and the strongest response rate at about 17%.
Alex Hennessey, national boating manager at Canal & River Trust, said: “We are pleased to see a clear rise in boater satisfaction this year. This improvement is an early sign that the steps we’ve taken through our Better Boating Plan may be starting to make a difference.
“We know there’s more work to do. Some of the longstanding issues that boaters tell us about, like dredging and maintenance, will take time and continued investment, but this is a reassuring sign that we’re moving in the right direction.
“We remain committed to listening to boaters and working with them to make the improvements that matter most. Our role is to care for this amazing 250-year-old network and make it work for all those who spend time both on and off the water, and we are grateful for the feedback that helps guide our approach.”
The trust said it will continue to invest in targeted maintenance and improvements and to engage regularly with boaters and stakeholders to build on this progress. As part of the Better Boating Plan, the charity has set challenging targets, which are being reported via public dashboards. For more information, visit https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/boating/better-boating. The full survey results are online at https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/boating/boating-news-and-views/boating-news/annual-boaters-survey-2025-executive-summary
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