The Department for Transport are now mulling over the report they commissioned into light dues and one of the facts the probe has thrown up is that charging yachtsmen light dues could result in more lorry traffic on Britain’s roads!

Basically spreading the light dues charges out to smaller vessels (which would include leisure craft) so that the large container ship companies do not face such an unfair ‘burden’ would mean fewer short sea crossings as companies sent freight by road instead of coaster.

Surprisingly the report’s ‘overall conclusion’ on the abolition of light dues is that more revenue and a few extra jobs might actually be the result as cruise liner ships paid more visits than they do at present to the UK.