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Travel and transport
Ferry and riverboat services
If you want to go abroad or simply avoid traffic congestion, there is a range of ferry services and commuter riverboat services that offer a good alternative to road, rail or air travel.
Ferry services
International services run from UK ports to France, the Republic of Ireland, Spain, Belgium, Scandinavia and the Netherlands.
Local ferry services also run to the Channel Islands, Isles of Scilly, Isle of Man and the Scottish Isles.
Commuter riverboats
Commuter river services operate in:
- London - run by Transport for London (TfL)
- Liverpool - run by Mersey Ferries
More details of these services and timetables are featured on TfL and Mersey Ferries websites.
Who's responsible for Britain's waterways?
The Inland Waterways Branch of the Marine and Waterways Division within the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has overarching responsibility for inland waterways in England and Wales. In Scotland, the Scottish Executive holds the overall responsibility.
The industry body for all waterways throughout the UK is the Association of Inland Navigation Authorities (AINA). AINA has a downloadable PDF that shows who maintain the various waterways across the UK. British Waterways, the Environment Agency and the Broads Authority are the main members of AINA, along with local councils.
Hiring a boat
If you decide to hire a boat for your travels - whether you want a yacht or a canal boat - it is worth reading 'Sound practice, safer waters: The Inland waterways small passenger boat code' produced by the Association of Inland Navigation Authorities (AINA) and the Maritime and Coastsguards Agency. You can request a copy through the AINA website.
You can also download a leaflet on the Waterways Code from British Waterways.
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