EA strikes again!

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miket

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Just seen on BBC South news that EA wish to build a 1 metre high walkway in Reading, by the river near Pipers Island. One assumes alongside the towpath, so for 10 days a year pedestrians don’t get their feet wet when the river is above the river bank.
........ oh, but they can’t afford to fully man the locks in the middle of the summer season.
Seems a good idea to me!!!
Comments?
 
What would be improved?! And for such a few days of the year.
Sounds totally fatuous to me. Totally in line with many EA schemes.
 
miket said:
What would be improved?! And for such a few days of the year.
Sounds totally fatuous to me. Totally in line with many EA schemes.
Click to expand...

The EA aims ...
The 25 Year Environment Plan
The government’s 25 Year Environment Plan,sets out a comprehensive long term approach to
protecting and enhancing the environment. The vision at the heart of the plan is that we will be the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we found it. The Environment Agency will play a central role in delivering the plan. We will work to deliver all 10 of the goals it lays out.....:
1• Clean air
2• Clean and plentiful water
3• Thriving plants and wildlife
4• Reducing risk of harm from environmental
hazards
5• Using resources from nature more sustainably
and efficiently
6• Enhancing beauty, heritage and engagement
with the natural environment
7• Mitigating and adapting to climate change
8• Minimising waste
9• Managing exposure to chemicals
10• Enhancing biosecurity
.11 ?????
No mention anywhere of providing sufficient lockies on one section of one particular river over hot sunny weekends.
Outrageous :).
 
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What is their position on the management/removal of invasive species? I've been working by the crane for the past couple of weeks and I'm amazed at the amount of boats that are lifted with their bottoms completely covered in quagga mussels. NB's are the worst affected from what I've seen, one boat was covered from bow to stern, at least 3 inches thick.
 
boatone said:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/quagga-mussel-discovered-for-first-time-in-uk
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a quote from that notice:
Anglers and boaters can play an important part and everyone is urged to help stop the spread of this species by following the ‘check, clean, dry’ approach and thoroughly cleaning any equipment.

That definitely didn't happen to one 60ft NB this week. It was the worst I've seen for Quagga mussels. The owner would only pay to get the sides blacked and wanted the bottom left alone, because 'the canals and river get shallow enough in places to knock them off!'
And every time a boat gets them washed off their hull during a lift out, they get washed straight back in he river.
Now I've seen how they've taken hold, I won't be skimping on anti foul.
 
When, my old tub was lifted out recently, a jet wash off was carried out...end of.
Presume to remove any invasive stuff.
Not that long ago spotted mitten crabs in the wall of freshwater lock cut at Allington and a decent sized Terrapin just below the lower lock gate.
 
oldgit said:
The EA aims ...
The 25 Year Environment Plan
The government’s 25 Year Environment Plan,sets out a comprehensive long term approach to
protecting and enhancing the environment. The vision at the heart of the plan is that we will be the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we found it. The Environment Agency will play a central role in delivering the plan. We will work to deliver all 10 of the goals it lays out.....:
1• Clean air
2• Clean and plentiful water
3• Thriving plants and wildlife
4• Reducing risk of harm from environmental
hazards
5• Using resources from nature more sustainably
and efficiently
6• Enhancing beauty, heritage and engagement
with the natural environment
7• Mitigating and adapting to climate change
8• Minimising waste
9• Managing exposure to chemicals
10• Enhancing biosecurity
.11 ?????
No mention anywhere of providing sufficient lockies on one section of one particular river over hot sunny weekends.
Outrageous :).
Click to expand...

No mention of boats either!!
I suspect EA would love it if all boats were banned from the Thames. We are a serious pain in the a..., which is entirely mutual.
 
miket said:
No mention of boats either!!
I suspect EA would love it if all boats were banned from the Thames. We are a serious pain in the a..., which is entirely mutual.
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They desperately need our money. We now know that EA proposing further 5.7% increase in Thames reg charges for 2019 and again for 2020. Same increase as this year which followed a 2 year moratorium. When I suggested this was an arbitrary figure and unlikely to provide additional income now needed they argued that it was a well calculated and supported by their requirements. Figure proposed for Medway 10% p.a. for next two years.
This will be out for “consultstion” shortly.
Immediately after implementing this years increase Defra reduced grant in aid by a further £250,000 and pretty much negated the effect of the additional income.
 
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boatone said:
Immediately after implementing this years increase Defra reduced grant in aid by a further £250,000 and pretty much negated the effect of the additional income.
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Example of "user pays" as experienced by every other branch of life reliant on central government funding,, closed playgroups and youth clubs at one end and libraries, old folks day centres at the other.
Exactly what folks wanted .
 
Suggesting 'we' pay a greater percentage towards costs (of cyclists) than any other group is a bit simplistic.

Cyclists do not take up parking space, contribute in any significant way towards traffic congestion or wearing out the road surfaces, and are as near Zero emissions as you can get.

So in a way, you don't 'pay'
 
No Regrets said:
Suggesting 'we' pay a greater percentage towards costs (of cyclists) than any other group is a bit simplistic.

Cyclists do not take up parking space, contribute in any significant way towards traffic congestion or wearing out the road surfaces, and are as near Zero emissions as you can get.

So in a way, you don't 'pay'
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Simplistic? The government has blown millions and is pledging an additional £1.2bn of taxpayers money into the hobby of cycling. Sure, for some it's a mode of transport, but not for the lycras I see, who spend their time 2 or 3 abreast lapping Richmond Park before putting the carbon fibre bicycle on the Porsche bike rack.
Pollution in London is a problem, but only an estimated 19% comes from private vehicles. The majority comes from commercial vehicles, public transport, air traffic and wood burning stoves.
What a shame the government is trying to get the public to enjoy the roads and not the river. The EA could do a lot with a slice of that £1.2bn.
 
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