EA Thames 3 year licence

[DogsBody]

So just got my renewal form through from the EA for next year's Thames licence, along with various other bits of paper attempting to explain what they are going to do with all the extra money they are stealing from us over the coming years. No mention of the fact you can get a 3 year licence (why would they? - since it doesn't benefit the EA only their customers - us boaters).

So anyone know how you go about getting said 3 year licence? Phone them and hope you get through to someone who actually realises you can buy one of these things? Ask for a different form maybe?

They are apparently upgrading 15 locks over the winter closure period (can I have a refund please - can't go up river as Bray lock is closed until March - can't go down river as they are sending so much water through that unless I stick the engines in reverse I'll be breaking their speed limit and get fined). Looks like they are putting in more moorings at locks and "better walkways?" - didn't think either was a problem at most of the locks I use. More mooring space on the layby would be nice in some places but to make any real difference they'd need about half a mile of layby, which I'm sure would cost a fortune and spoil the look of the river- better to make a couple of locks bigger (Bray for one - its tiny).


Interesting reading the gumpf, I came across this - quote "However, we have a significant backlog of work caused by years of under investment and DECLINING BOAT NUMBERS" (the capitalisation is mine). How exactly does a decline in boat numbers create a backlog of work? Less boats equals less wear and tear on the river surely.

Interesting that with such a backlog of vital work to do they spent a fortune on extending the layby at Boveny Lock last winter - why? On a busy day it will still be too small and on non busy days its a waste of space.

I could go on but don't think anyone would bother reading it, so I'll stop.

OK, just one more moan. With regards to water levels, apparently they have now had 3 consecutive months with above average rainfall, with October receiving 138% of the average rainfall for the Thames catchment area. "It is now highly unlikely there will be any further constraints on navigation due to river flows and water availability before next spring at the earliest" So you don't call a raging torrent of water flowing over the weirs and red boards at locks constraints on navigation then?

I was on a boat just below Teddington lock a couple of weekends ago and I'm sure the water coming past the weir was travelling at half a dozen knots, I'd call that a constraint on navigation if you have a low powered boat, as many Thames based boats are.

Still its alright, in amongst all this, they pointed out that there is still a hosepipe and sprinkler ban in place - we can't use the water but the EA / Thames Water are dumping as much of it as they can into the sea...

Think I'll go and calm down now with a little refreshment.


DogsBody.

 

[byron]

Feel better now /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I must say their statement about declining boat numbers never ceases to goad me. It was them who manufactured the decline despite warnings from loads of experienced sources that they were making a mistake. However, I suppose some little kid fresh out of college with the ink on his Degree not yet dry has far more influence than the combined years of experience of the River Users.

 

[DogsBody]

Re: Feel better

Much better now, thanks.

Still looking to get a 3 year licence though.

Been on the Thames about 6 or 7 years now and there is definately a lot less boats about than when I first started out there.

Think I need to get a BSS test done next year but I'm not going tostart worrying about that just yet...

DogsBody.

 

[BG1]

Hi Darren
I agree with all your comments, including the refreshment at the end! I would be interested in a three year license as well, especially if you could save some money.
BSS? see Pete H.

BG1

 

[Captain Coochie]

Re: Feel better

Oh and you seemed a mild mannered chap when i bumped into you in Windsor /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
As far as i can see the 3 year thing is exploiting a bylaw and is not an actual 3 year licence . But you can pay 3 years in advance /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif But the EA have to spend all the money by the end of the year so if we all buy a 3 year licence all works will have to be done in 1 year and for the next two years the river will go to pot . I think /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Brayman]

Maybe you just need to send the money with a covering letter. I'll ask Chris Turner and get back to you.
Ian

 

[apollo]

Aha! I thought it was you!

 

[Brayman]

And the answere is, according to the EA at Reading:
Cross out the word Annual (if you can find it - I can't) and insert TRIANNUAL whilst also amending the amount to three times that shown, enclose a cheque for three times the amount.
They will send you a licence plate for 2007, then next year will send you one for 2008 and so on for 2009.
If you are keeping your boat it might be worth it.
Ian

 

[theguvnor]

Why lend them your money for no return ??

 

[DogsBody]

Re: Why Lend them your money for no return?

Simple really, if my calculations are correct you save money.

For instance, assume a boat licence of £400 for 2007. This would increase to £440 for 2008 (10% per annum increase) and to £484 for 2009 (10% increase over 2008 cost). This gives a total licensing cost of £1,324 for the next 3 years.

If you were to buy a 3 year licence now, it is all 3 years at the 2007 rate i.e. 400+400+400=£1,200 a saving of £124.

Of course, if you have 3 years worth of licence money sitting around, you might choose to put it in a bank and earn interest on it until each year's fee is due.

Therefore, starting with the £1,200 fee for 3 years and paying for 2007 fee, you have £800 to invest for a year. If we assume a yearly interest rate of 5%, you end 2007 with £840 in the bank. From that you have to pay out £440 for the 2008 licence, leaving £400, which after a year's interest at 5% leaves you with £420 to pay the 2009 licence fee. Trouble is the 2009 licence fee is £484, so you are short £64 and have to find this elsewhere.

So you can choose to pay your £1,200 to the EA now, or keep some of it in the bank but still have to put away £1,200 now plus another £64 in a couple of years. Of course, if you don’t put any of it away, it costs you an extra £124 over the 3 years.

Not a lot of difference I agree but it increases with the size of boat and the big bit is that if you pay now you [--word removed--] the EA's revenue plans because as Cuchilo rightly pointed out, the EA have to spend all licence fees in the year they receive them - they will end up with a deficit for years 2 and 3, which gets bigger the more we all choose to save and pay up front!

That is why we want to buy a 3 year licence - to make the EA realise their plan to make money won't work.

Simple really?

DogsBody.

PS Please feel free to correct my calculations if you see an error but I think it saves me money and gets at the EA so sounds like a good idea to me.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Re: Why Lend them your money for no return?

Regrettably I, like many other boaters at the margin, don't have that hypothetical £1200. Now, they wittered about monthly installments. Not had my envelopes yet, anything about that? It was supposed to be part of the deal a la BW licence.

 

[apollo]

Re: Why Lend them your money for no return?

No they only said they are going to look at it, but as there is no form in the license pack, we will have to pay another year (or three) all in one go.

Yet another disappointment from the EA.

I guess they are worried that we wont pay for the months that we cannot use the boat, like "now" for example!

Still only a trickle in the flood relief, still two feet up in Maidenhead.

 

[apollo]

Re: Why Lend them your money for no return?

A bit of a quandry for me as I have had this boat a year already and have never owned a boat longer than three years!!

 

[DogsBody]

Re: Why Lend them your money for no return?

Same here only kept Arabesque for 3 1/2 years, had Unwinder just over a year now but think we will be sticking with her for quite some time yet.

DogsBody.

 

[DogsBody]

Re: Why Lend them your money for no return?

Can see you point about not being able to find 3 years worth of licence money in one hit but fortunately have a little left over from the sale of my last boat earlier this year. Deciding whether to use it for a 3 year licence or to cover the cost of winter maintenance to the new one.

No idea about monthly payments though, suspect they'd want to charge interest on them though so wont be doing that.

DogsBody.

 

[byron]

Re: Why Lend them your money for no return?

You own Unwinder now? I was on her when she nearly sank. There was a load of us sitting on the stern having drinkies and the owner didn't know the top of his bellows had perished. We all scrambled off very rapidly allowing the boat to leap up. I hasten to add...... it was fixed.

 

[DogsBody]

Re: Why Lend them your money for no return?

Byron,

Wouldn't be the first time I've seen a boat take on water due to too many people "socialising" on the aft end and I'm sure it wont be the last.

DogsBody.

 

[byron]

Re: Why Lend them your money for no return?

Where are you keeping her now? If we ever get to meet I could tell you a few anecdotes about Dave & Gill Eatwell and Unwinder they owned her for many many years.