Mooring Charge Notices
Information on our Mooring Charge Notices (MCN), how to pay or appeal can be found on our Mooring Charge Notice webpage.
Contractual terms
The terms of the contract to moor will be set out on signs along between Annesdale and Willow Walk. Any boater choosing to moor, anchor or remain stationary at the moorings agrees to the contractual terms set out on the signs.
The contractual terms you are agreeing to are:
- you will pay a mooring charge if your vessel remains at the moorings for longer than 48 hours
- you will pay a mooring charge where the vessel returns to the councils moorings within 48 hours of leaving irrespective of the length of the original stay
You are also accepting that camera equipment is in use on this site to record activity and that in the event of a chargeable incident being recorded, we may request the registered owner’s details from the relevant Navigation Authority.
Mooring management scheme location
Our moorings start at Annesdale and finish at Willow Walk, Ely.
You will note from the map that visitor mooring is not permitted in the area allocated to commercial mooring. The mooring immediately outside the Environment Agency’s pump out is limited to a maximum of one hour to ensure the facility can be used effectively.
Why we manage our moorings
Our visitor moorings have been very popular for many of years and a survey that we carried out suggested there are boaters who were unable to visit Ely as the moorings are frequently full. We encourage boaters to visit Ely and want to ensure that moorings are available when boaters arrive.
The consultation results suggested that visitor moorings were free of charge for 48 hours, and specified a ‘no-return’ period for 48 hours. This balances the need for a regular turnover of boaters, while allowing an adequate length of stay for boaters to enjoy the facilities and visitor attractions Ely has to offer.
How the mooring scheme is enforced
We have Riverside Officers who are responsible for recording the details of all vessels moored at the council’s moorings. A Riverside Officer will visit the moorings every day and if their records show that one of the mooring conditions has been breached then a Mooring Charge Notice (MCN) will be issued.
They may hand this to the master of the vessel if they are available or they may secure the MCN to a window. The Riverside Officer will also take photographs showing the MCN attached to the vessel and its proximity to the closest sign setting out the contractual terms.
Double mooring
We supports the Environment Agency's position to allow double mooring to relieve pressure on the limited moorings available in Ely, provided it does not impede navigation. The contractual terms apply to double moored boats.
Additional information
We expects all boaters using our moorings to comply with the Environment Agency Recreational Byelaws that apply to the Anglian Waterways and specifically the River Great Ouse. The safety and enjoyment of all river users is paramount to us and if a member of council staff becomes aware that a Byelaw is being breached then the Environment Agency will be informed.