50% of licences not yet renewed

boatone

boatone

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www.tmba.org.uk
According to a tweet this morning from EA South East, 50% of Thames boat registrations have yet to be renewed.

Given that licence fees were due on 1st January I find that figure, if correct, astonishing. Perhaps its time for much more draconian regime with automatic penalties for late payment?
 
Not sure I agree with that Tony although I understand how it affects the EA cashflow, but we all have cashflow issues and before the Direct debit payment option I would always leave it until I had actually put the boat back in the river and it was ready to use.
 
Chris_d said:
Not sure I agree with that Tony although I understand how it affects the EA cashflow, but we all have cashflow issues and before the Direct debit payment option I would always leave it until I had actually put the boat back in the river and it was ready to use.
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Equally 50% of the boats may not be going in the water this year.

Brian
 
Nothing for us to agree or disagree about, Chris. Annual registration licences are due on 1st of January unless the boat is not actually in the water.
Penalties for failing to register a boat
Our lock staff and patrol officers report any boat they find which is kept or used on the River Thames and does not display a valid registration plate.
There is a maximum fine of £1000 for failing to register a boat and comply with our registration requirements. Conviction for this offence also results in a criminal record.
Ultimately, we may also remove a boat from the waterway if it is not registered, and dispose of it.
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Would be very surprised if anything like 50% of boats are out of the water! What we don't know is how accurate that figure is and what the percentage is for powered craft. I have asked.
 
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Ours in not in the water as yet and therefore I have not paid for it, when it goes in I will pay for it regardless of the fact I will be paying for the last 5 months unused.

Rather have the money in my bank...
 
Serious question - Does the EA enforcement team visit all the rowing clubs and check every single scull has a £19 licence?
 
Apparently the tweet this morning was "not correct" and I am advised that the number of craft licensed is much higher. The tweet itself seems to have been "untweeted" if thats the right word!
Sounds like an interesting case of left hand, right hand to me.
 
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apollo said:
Serious question - Does the EA enforcement team visit all the rowing clubs and check every single scull has a £19 licence?
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they don't need to. British Rowing administer the rowing craft scheme through the clubs which allocate number to every craft that comes under their registration. Thats the ABC123 number that should be on every rowing craft and identifies the boat and the club. The number is the evidence of registration, they don't have a licence plate like wot we duz.
 
boatone said:
they don't need to. British Rowing administer the rowing craft scheme through the clubs which allocate number to every craft that comes under their registration. Thats the ABC123 number that should be on every rowing craft and identifies the boat and the club. The number is the evidence of registration, they don't have a licence plate like wot we duz.
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Yeah but, perish the thought(!) - what if an unscrupulous greedy club were to miss a few off the list and not tell British Rowing?
 
boatone said:
According to a tweet this morning from EA South East, 50% of Thames boat registrations have yet to be renewed.

Given that licence fees were due on 1st January I find that figure, if correct, astonishing. Perhaps its time for much more draconian regime with automatic penalties for late payment?
Click to expand...

Await new regulation, Sorn for boats. Statutory Off River Notice.;)
 
Haha I read this as
50% OFF licences not yet renewed.

I nearly bought one.��
 
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Tamarix: Is that the name of your boat?

That was a Tamar with a BMW (?) engine I believe, was from T&K marina. We looked in her once, pretty little thing too!
 
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More draconian? Have to say think the opposite. What does one get or one's license, beyond permission to navigate?

I can see the need to pay fir locks, but why not pay as you go to lock?

Maintenance? Has to be done, but I thought water rates etc went to that. South west water claimed that years ago when I disputed very high water rates, using my own well and sceptic field. They said rain from my and ended in their rivers, so I had to pay.

To maintain safety? Not sure a 19 quid license on a skiff contributes to safer boating.

I'll pay to navigate, but if I am out the water for 7 months, not sure i should have to pay for 12.

Maybe I have been out of the country too long!
 
It would probably help if Thames Water's payment for taking water from the river was increased... it seems they have been paying the same for many years.

They are also doing a fine job of polluting the river around Cookham & Bourne End.....
 
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