Posted by Robert Dilley on June 01, 2003 at 05:22:27 from 216.211.4.6 user rdilley.
A speed limit of 10 mph is due to come into effect on Windermere in March 2005. There is already a 6 mph limit around the busier areas (eg Rio Bay).
There was a long and bitter campaign to get the limit approved. The former Conservative government overturned the recommendation of their Inspector and refused to implement a limit. I wrote, as a professional geographer with a research interest in the area, to both John Major and the local (Tory) MP, and got a brush-off about "lost jobs" (I argued from the point of view of "lost tourists").
When Labour came in I wrote again, to the Environment Minister, and got a courteous reply and, eventually, the needed By-Law.
Needless to say, the powerboat interests are still trying to overturn the by-law. According to the Friends of the Lake District, they pleaded for exemption for the annual (very noisy) "Records Week". This was seen by conservationists as a "Trojan Horse" to get more and more events around the by-law. Fortunately, the application was turned down.
The only exemptions to be allowed are for rescue boats (in use and in training).
I wrote before encouraging those concerned with preserving AR's Lake District to join the Friends. This is an opportunity to do so again. Annual membership is only 12 pounds; half that for students.