Bell Weir lock closed

[Brayman]

Message from Maria da Silva at the EA:
Please note Bell Weir Lock is Closed until further notice due to a
mechanical breakdown. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Regards
Maria

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Sunbury, Bray and Bell Weir since 1/4/07. And fees went up. I think its time to demand an explanation.

 

[PaulJ6152]

I was talking to the Lock keeper at Bray and he reckons could be another 10 weeks to sort out the new moorings they built them to low and so have to raise them. So that falls right in the peak season. In the meantime we have that horrible steel structure to moor to.

 

[BG1]

I noticed at Bray this weekend they've moved the crane barge. That seemed to be causing the rip current as all the boats were entering the lock straight and true, well almost all

 

[Ramage]

I think the EA is out to get me... first they are involved in causing damage to Carli, and now that I have approached a repairer at Penton Hook they have closed Bell Weir Lock so I cannot get there!

It is enough to drive you to /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[boatone]

[ QUOTE ]
Message from Maria da Silva at the EA:
Please note Bell Weir Lock is Closed until further notice due to a
mechanical breakdown. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Regards
Maria

[/ QUOTE ]

How did you get this info? Would be ever so nice if they posted stuff like this on their website, don't you think?????? Dare I even suggest an email based info service for licence holders such as the one run by the PLA?

"Until further notice" is just not good enough - surely somebody must be capable of making an informed decision on a likely timescale!!!!!

Frankly, I am NOT impressed with what I have heard about the EA so far this year.

PLEASE encourage peeps to get on board my MAD campaign - see link below.

 

[Brayman]

I signed up to their email information service years ago so I get river notices and lock closure notices etc. I imagine there must be a way of getting on to it via the EA web site but if not try sending an email to Maria herself at maria.dasilva@environment-agency.gov.uk

 

[jaws]

This is absolutely unacceptable. I've just sent a strongly worded letter to Maria. We have a club cruise going to Limehouse this weekend!

No mention of the closures here http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/navigation/747415/150319/150631/?version=1&lang=_e

 

[jaws]

Re: Bell Weir lock OPEN again

Dear Mr Hogg,

Bell Weir lock has reopened today (Wednesday 18 April). Our apologies
for any inconvenience caused.

Regards
Maria

Looks like it's open again.

 

[Brayman]

Re: Bell Weir lock OPEN again

I hope she sends an email to all those she sent to before "until further notice"

 

[TrueBlue]

Re: Bell Weir lock closed / open

C'mon guys - bearing in mind the dreadful state of governmental IT systems, "we" should be exceedingly grateful that the nice Maria sent out a general PanPan so promptly.

Contrast the current situation with that, say, a couple of years ago when the email system only dealt with general pre-planned items.

to my mind the "until further notice" clause really meant - Horrors; sprocket's out of true on t' treadle, and we don't quite know yet how long it will take to fix...

We get wound up over the apparent stupidities of keepers' dogs, uniforms, and the like, that we attack on every issue.

I hope Maria sees this - and if she does - well thank you for alerting users to what could have been a nasty problem.

 

[jaws]

Re: Bell Weir lock closed / open

I did actually reply to Maria and thank her for a quick response.

[ QUOTE ]
C'mon guys - bearing in mind the dreadful state of governmental IT systems, "we" should be exceedingly grateful that the nice Maria sent out a general PanPan so promptly.

[/ QUOTE ]

I couldn't disagree more! This should be a service that we expect for the amount of money that is charged to use the river. It's about time people started bringing these institutions to task rather than just lying back and thinking of England while we get shafted from all angles.

Instead of relying on an ambiguous statement like "until further notice" she could have added. "An update will be issued on [blah blah] date" or "engineers are looking at the problem now"

[ QUOTE ]
I hope Maria sees this - and if she does - well thank you for alerting users to what could have been a nasty problem.

[/ QUOTE ]

We should thank her, but let's not get away from the fact that this is part of the EA's job to send out notices.

As an isolated incident maybe this whole reaction would be out of proportion but on top of all the other problems and closures it is understandable.

 

[bradtarga34]

Re: Bell Weir lock closed / open

I've just received an e-mail saying that Bell Weir is now operating again, and also advisng of some temporary closures to Days Lock. You win some, you lose some /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Gavi]

Re: Bell Weir lock closed / open

Am now confused and disappointed. I have to give a presentation at the Beaumont Hotel tomorrow and planned to boat up and risk a long stay outside the (spits) Harvester pub there. Will drive instead /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif