Speeding boats crackdown nets 18

Sailors on the Broads face prosecution for speeding

Eighteen boat users face prosecution for speeding on broads and rivers in Norfolk and Suffolk after a crackdown.

Broads Authority rangers have also issued 163 written warnings to helmsmen accused of creating excess wash which is blamed for bank erosion.

Head ranger Adrian Vernon said: "We have already handed out 163 written warnings compared to 70 in 2006.

"We aim to increase safety, reduce bank erosion which silts up rivers and boost availability on 24 hour moorings."

A recent sediment management strategy study has shown that cutting boat speeds will reduce the amount of deposits in the Broads which in turn will save costs in dredging, he added.

The Broads Authority is about to launch a new DVD called Better Boating on the Broads which is full of advice on how to navigate the waters safely, sustainably and courteously.

It is part of a new education and enforcement package aimed to promote safety and respect for the fragile eco-system and rare wildlife of the waterways as well as other river users.

It will be available to holidaymakers when they book their boats and from Broads Authority information centres.

Navigation rangers are handing out leaflets which explain the need for boats to drive within the speed limits to protect water-level nesting birds, other river users and the rivers from silting up.