Different licence charging periods?

Reptile Smile

Reptile Smile

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Hi all,

As Spring draws closer, and I dream of being able to get my boat on the same side of the country as me without the Thames in flodd, I've optimistically started looking at the prices of licences.

I'm sure when I passed briefly through in early Nov, the options were 1 day, 2 week, 1 month, where the 2 week one for my boat (17.5 sq m) was £70 and the 1 month was £90?

Now, it seems there's 1 day, 1 week and 1 month, where 1 day is £20.50, 1 week is £34.50, and 1 month is £96.

Have I got this right? Fortunately for me, the new system seems to work out a fair bit better for me..?
 
Yes, you are right - they have changed and quite significantly.
I did actually make representations last year for the introduction of a 7 day licence but don't think I ever received a formal response.
Can't remember seeing any reference in formal meeting notes of various groups either but then there's so much dross to get through.
Full details here:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/129970.aspx

I will be attending final meeting to agree this years Customer Charter later today and will ask questions if time allows!
 
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boatone said:
Yes, you are right - they have changed and quite significantly.

I will be attending final meeting to agree this years Customer Charter later today and will ask questions if time allows!
Click to expand...

It's a good start - now that the shackles to licencing (if there really were any) that were removed by the TWO a beginning to take fruit, would it be worth asking why there are still restrictions on how many licences are allowed per boat per year have any relevance?

Again, to divert hostility from people on other threads - CaRT don't have any restrictions on their licences so that WHEN they take over (contentious) they may well apply their rules. I suspect BW (who set up the structure) allowed market forces - pricing - to determine who bought what. I could buy 30 1 day licences or a 30 day explorer. The price determines which one I actually purchase......

I'm sure the original scheme on the Thames was to make it uneconomic for folks "on private waters attached to the River" to avoid payuing a full licences. As that has now been swep' away, it no longer has any point.

I'm hoping that it will attract visitors who otherwise would be deterred from visiting.
 
TrueBlue said:
It's a good start - now that the shackles to licencing (if there really were any) that were removed by the TWO a beginning to take fruit, would it be worth asking why there are still restrictions on how many licences are allowed per boat per year have any relevance?
Click to expand...
Option 1 - 1 day registration
Option 2 - 7 consecutive day registration
Option 3 - 31 consecutive day registration
Visitors can purchase an unlimited number of 1 day and 7 consecutive day registrations but only three 31 consecutive day registrations can be purchased in any calendar year.
 
boatone said:
Option 1 - 1 day registration
Option 2 - 7 consecutive day registration
Option 3 - 31 consecutive day registration
Visitors can purchase an unlimited number of 1 day and 7 consecutive day registrations but only three 31 consecutive day registrations can be purchased in any calendar year.
Click to expand...

That makes the river more accessible for me. As many of you know I register it in Poole and hold a Poole Harbour licence as thats where we take it most frequently. Therefore I was (in theory, never seen any checks) limited on the number of one day licences I could buy when we dropped it into the Thames, now that restriction has been removed we can now visit on the 10 days per year that its not raining or flooded!
 
I enquired about this yesterday and, as suggested by TrueBlue it would appear that this change has been made possible by the new powers made available by the TWO.

Wearing my TMBA hat, I had made representations following my trip to the Medway last year when it was suggested by some boaters I talked to that a 7 day licence would be a useful option for them and might encourage more Medway and downriver boaters to visit our "manor". However, it appears that the new arrangements also lead to some harmonisation across other waterways (such as the Medway itself where a 7 day licence was already available) which was a primary objective of seeking the TWO powers.

It would appear that there has been no formal advice of this change as it was considered an improvement on previous offerings - which it definitely appears to be !

Full details of the new short period registration arrangements are here:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/129970.aspx
 
boatone said:
I enquired about this yesterday and, as suggested by TrueBlue it would appear that this change has been made possible by the new powers made available by the TWO.

Wearing my TMBA hat, I had made representations following my trip to the Medway last year when it was suggested by some boaters I talked to that a 7 day licence would be a useful option for them and might encourage more Medway and downriver boaters to visit our "manor". However, it appears that the new arrangements also lead to some harmonisation across other waterways (such as the Medway itself where a 7 day licence was already available) which was a primary objective of seeking the TWO powers.

It would appear that there has been no formal advice of this change as it was considered an improvement on previous offerings - which it definitely appears to be !

Full details of the new short period registration arrangements are here:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/129970.aspx
Click to expand...

Well that can be counted as a success for reasonableness all round, whether or not it was due to B1's representations or EA was going to do it anyway we shall never know. The important thing is that ancient rules are beginning to be relaxed. I won't be content until the restrictions are removed altogether, as I feel both changes will result in increased use of the River and income to EA.

Thanks to those who raised the changes in this thread and particularly to B1 - wearing his TMBA hat - as he champions reason and sense as opposed to some others who appear to be saying "over my dead body" to any change.

I'd hope that the silent majority reading this thread may take notice and benefit from these small changes.
 
The registration form says "The term ‘day’ is the 24 hours commencing after midnight and finishing at midnight."

Not very well worded, is it ? !!

Does it mean you are entitled for a minimum 24 hours which will end at the next midnight following that, or does it mean your one day finishes at the next midnight on the same day?

(Ive freed up the mailbox - ybw kindly sent me an email telling me you'd tried and failed !)
 
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It would be interesting if the "two for one" still applied because the 2013 fee for me has dropped.

I cannot find a 2012 reference but I have a note that my boat cost £12 in 2011 and I think it cost either £12.50 or £13 in 2012 but is now listed at £10.50 for 2013
 
Not as far as I know Tony. As I said , when the new paperwork came out , I had to phone craft reg to clarify, as we ( from reading the papers ) were unsure ourselves.

Was the last years well publicised ? Other than our paperwork at the lock , I can't recall seeing it anywhere.
 
The Environment Agency have tweeted the following in response to an enquiry on Twitter:

"The Thames Visitor registration runs from midnight to midnight. However, for boats arriving late in the day, unexpectedly & unaware of the registration timescales, the cost for the rest of that day will be waived."
 
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