Travelling to Essex; Hertfordshire Police

[ianc1200]

Any advice? I thought it was quite clear - we can visit our boats, can't stay the night.

I'm visiting Titchmarsh tomorrow, coming from the Reading area, wife and dogs coming too (why not), need to protect my hull by putting covers over, she's carvel planked, painted black.

However Herts Police seem to think otherwise.

What would be your response if pulled over on the M25?


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-52620390

Police in Hertfordshire have warned lockdown measures "have not been lifted" after the easing of some restrictions this week.


Hertfordshire ConstabularyCopyright: Hertfordshire Constabulary
Assistant Chief Constable Nathan Briant said: "Our officers will always use common sense and discretion.

"In the first instance, we will engage, explain, and encourage – we will only enforce as a last resort."

He added that people had "sacrificed so much over these last seven weeks... no-one will want to jeopardise the progress we’ve made by failing to comply with the ongoing restrictions".

 

[BabySharkDooDooDooDooDoo]

He is being disingenuous, the lockdown measures have not been lifted but new of 'reasonable' excuses have added so you can now go about your lawful business.

I was expecting something like that from Devon & Cornwall police but I am not sure why Hertfordshire are acting like this - maybe they fear in influx to Knebworth?

 

[Gerry]

Go the other way round the M25! Miss out Hertfordshire x

 

[nigelm]

Keep it just under the ton , don’t wanna make it obvious ?

 

[bedouin]

Practically they now have no powers to stop you from driving anywhere you want provided you are not with people from outside your household

You can go out for any recreation outside, and there is no restriction to the distance you can drive. So provided you tell them your destination is an open space they cannot interfere.

Also BTW the regulations / guidance don't explicitly ban you from staying on the boat overnight

 

[ianc1200]

"Also BTW the regulations / guidance don't explicitly ban you from staying on the boat overnight"

Titchmarsh's e mail plays a fine tightrope on this (bearing in mind the number of liveaboards and the danger the non liveaboards might object), it says;

"The current guidance is to not stay onboard boats overnight."

 

[jordanbasset]

This is a fuller report, which I think shows a different emphasis and says what has changed
Hertfordshire Police address changes in Government guidance
I agree there are few powers they can use now to enforce the measures, they cannot even enforce the 2 metre rule in England

 

[bedouin]

"Also BTW the regulations / guidance don't explicitly ban you from staying on the boat overnight"

Titchmarsh's e mail plays a fine tightrope on this (bearing in mind the number of liveaboards and the danger the non liveaboards might object), it says;

"The current guidance is to not stay onboard boats overnight."

I don't believe that is correct. As far as I can see there is no guidance either way on staying on boats.

There is guidance that says you can't stay at your 2nd home, but a boat is not a second home. We are not allowed to travel to 2nd homes and we are allowed to travel to the boat. There was some confusion as an early draft of the changes did mention having to go there and back in a day but that was taken out

I think the correct interpretation of the law/guidance is that it is fine but also that there are at lot of Nazis around who will believe otherwise and could give you grief.

For those of us in a marina it is hard to go against the marina's own rules on the matter.

 

[bedouin]

double post

 

[ex-Gladys]

Keep it just under the ton , don’t wanna make it obvious ?

That'd be slower than the nutters we've seen when delivering shopping to the in-laws. Obvious racing on both A12 and M25

 

[ianc1200]

I drove to see my father & drop off his shopping, first time out in weeks. Aggressive & fast driving everywhere, cut up several times on the M40.

Further to my original post, a friend has suggesting printing out the BMF guide & also the Governments guidance, including the FAQ's confirming unrestricted travel, which I've done.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

For those of us in a marina it is hard to go against the marina's own rules on the matter.

Yes. I agree .

 

[Cavalierbond]

Private marina .. rules apply ...
what happens if you leave the berth for a few hours and accidentally stay out a few night .. oops sorry haha

 

[MoodySabre]

I hope you are wrong Ian because either we are going to meet daughter and fam in St Albans or they will come to us. Sheila says we have a big garden so that can be our open space. I favour Monday as Sunday might be busy on the roads.

 

[nortada]

Private marina .. rules apply ...
what happens if you leave the berth for a few hours and accidentally stay out a few night .. oops sorry haha

Sorry, OK but you are not coming back in .. haha?

 

[johnalison]

I suppose that it depends on how you interpret the reported advice that we can drive as far as we like for our recreation. My first thought on reading this was that a drive of an hour would be OK, my own drive to the boat being half an hour. Driving from Reading sounds a bit like pushing it, but I don't see that it is forbidden. Titchmarsh occupiers should be a priveliged group anyway, so I think OP might well choose to make the trip, but I think that this should probably be on as few occasions as possible.

 

[Chalk]

Legally you can stay on your boat. Practically no one is likely to stop you. Just don't make a song and dance of it.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Am i the only one that's getting fed up with what seems like a never ending list of minor officials who think they are so important that they can make their own laws up ?

 

[Brooksie89]

I'm getting fed up with all the warden Hodges types who are getting a kick out of the situation at the moment.

 

[jon and michie]

I travelled from Yorkshire to essex last Wednesday - no issues.
No distance restriction