Plans have been revealed to ban all power-driven boats and vessels from the Lake District’s small waters.
The Lake District National Park Authority is consulting over its proposals to put the ban in place to protect the public and environment due to an increase in the popularity of wild swimming and watersports like paddleboarding.
It would see the Lake District Smaller Lake Byelaws amended, which were last changed in 1971.
The Reminder reported in December 2023 how the authority was considering revising the rules which had become outdated as technology has improved and the number of visitors using the smaller lakes for watersports has increased.
The changes would see all power-driven vessels, including electric vessels, banned from being used on the Lake District’s 21 non-navigable small waters.
This includes Bassenthwaite, Loweswater, Crummock Water, Wastwater, Buttermere, Overwater and more.
It would not impact the Lake District’s navigable waters, which include Windermere, Coniston, Derwentwater and Ullswater.
The authority said the amendment to the byelaws was necessary for public safety, would conserve the amenity and natural beauty of the smaller lakes and waters and their surrounding areas and prevent nuisance or damage to the smaller lakes.
Those in breach of the amended byelaws could also face a fine of up to £500.
It added that while paddleboarding, kayaking, canoeing and swimming were appropriate for smaller lakes, it had also seen an increase in the use of vessels powered by electric motors.
It said conflicts between users of the smaller lakes – mainly between drivers of electrically powered vessels and swimmers – had been reported in recent years, with some incidents recorded where injury was narrowly avoided.
The authority is also planning to amend the definition of vessel and power-driven vessels and the circumstances in which they may access the lakes.
A consultation for landowners and stakeholders on the proposed changes is currently going ahead and can be accessed online until May 31
The authority said it intended to permit the Environment Agency to use electrically powered vessels to monitor the waters and lakes.
It would also be able to provide consent for staff and contractors to use suitable small vessels when working on smaller lakes.
Emergency services like the Coastguard and mountain rescue teams would also be exempt.
The authority acknowledged that the proposed changes may impact disabled people and their access to the lake without assistance.
It said it had tried to mitigate this by allowing some aids including hand pedalled canoes and larger vessels such as multi-person canoes.
It would also be able to grant an appropriate exemption in all the circumstances to accommodate disabled users.
The byelaws came into force in 1974 and have not been reviewed since they came into effect.
