EA/TVM Mooring Signs

boatone

boatone

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Just a few cables from Boulters Lock
www.tmba.org.uk
There appears to be some confusion regarding mooring signs on the river. The EA 24 Hour mooring sites are currently being managed by Thames Visitor Moorings (TVM - https://www.thamesvisitormoorings.co.uk) on behalf of the Environment Agency.
Signage at these locations is similar to this one
_0231833.jpg:

Note the lower panel which I have highlighted in red shows both EA and TVM Logos.

BE AWARE - there are other landowners and local authorities displaying signs similar in appearance but with different and varying charges and conditions.
 
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boatone said:
There appears to be some confusion regarding mooring signs on the river. The EA 24 Hour mooring sites are currently being managed by Thames Visitor Moorings (TVM - https://www.thamesvisitormoorings.co.uk) on behalf of the Environment Agency.
Signage at these locations is similar to this one
View attachment 67627:

Note the lower panel which I have highlighted in red shows both EA and TVM Logos.

BE AWARE - there are other landowners and local authorities displaying signs similar in appearance but with different and varying charges and conditions.
Click to expand...

Wasn’t the TVM arrangement meant to be a limited duration ‘trial’?
 
boatone said:
Yes, for 12 months and has just ended. They are now considering outcomes and will likely go out to tender for full implementation. I expect the current arrangements to continue pro tem.
Click to expand...

Have you seen what it's costing the EA? :ambivalence:
 
jct1981 said:
Do you know what it's costing the EA? Would be interesting to know.
Click to expand...
As we have yet to receive any report of final outcomes I can only provide general information regarding costs etc.
As I understand it, the agreement between the EA and TVM is largely revenue neutral with TVM receiving a share of the revenue collected. There is significant evidence that the TVM involvement has resulted in a major reduction in overstaying at EA 24 hour mooring sites. We understand that there has also been a considerable reduction in time consuming enquiries and complaints to the EA itself which has had a positive impact on staff being able to concentrate on other matters. TVM are also pursuing provision of services to other landowners and local authorities which will provide further income to bolster whatever is received via the EA moorings arrangements.
As stated previously the trial was only being fully implemented between Teddington and Bell Weir although boaters can register for the EA 24 hour moorings river wide. During the trial period I understand that over 4,500 nights were registered - approx 50% in the trial area and the rest further up river. Interestingly, in the trial area about 50% of the registered nights were additional paid for (i.e. after the first 24 hours) whereas upriver this dropped to about 20%. TVM state that the level of compliance within the trial are was "very high". There is also evidence that many hire boats have registered and that both recreational and live aboard boats have been equally compliant.

Bear in mind that much of this revenue was previously being lost due to ineffective collection. Also, the primary motivation for the improved management was to ensure that 24 hour visitor moorings were available to all and not permanently occupied by overstayers.
 
I know what the contract says.

If you contact the EA you can get this information under the freedom of information act.

I doubt you'll be impressed however, because I doubt the EA got a penny out of this, and suspect they are considerably out of pocket.

Surprising nobody asked, given the amount of waffle posted over the last year... :ambivalence:
 
No Regrets said:
I know what the contract says.

If you contact the EA you can get this information under the freedom of information act.

I doubt you'll be impressed however, because I doubt the EA got a penny out of this, and suspect they are considerably out of pocket.

Surprising nobody asked, given the amount of waffle posted over the last year... :ambivalence:
Click to expand...

When this scheme was first muted I did ask the question how much would the EA actually get back. I was told the EA enforcement team were very happy with the deal.
 
With the greatest respect to the enforcement team, I'll bet they are happy. A bloke in a Narrow Boat taking all the cash, dealing with the minor aggravation at least and taking a bit of work off their shoulders. their employers paying for it too...

However, there have still been un-named boats doubtless kicked out of the canals which have been overstaying EA moorings and TVM unable to do a thing about it as the boats literally have no identifying features.
 
Thanks for this boatone; I hadn't appreciated that the trial period was focussed mainly on the lower reaches (I'm based at T&K Marina in Caversham). Having registered when it launched, I've used the web system about half a dozen times; found it really simple & easy to use, plus I've always been able to find a space. Our usage is a split between overnights and lunch/afternoon moorings. Never stayed in a pay mooring (or longer than the 24 hour free period) but looks simple enough, especially with PayPal.

As I live nearby, I'll try to get some pictures of the non-TVM boards (also relating to the Tesco mooring thread). From memory (which could well be wrong!), they are almost identical to the ones you have posted above, just without the TVM detail along the bottom and with different contact details, which I would imagine could cause some confusion if not paying attention.

No Regrets, again, do you mind sharing what the contract says? Curious to know what's in place. Thanks :)
 
I'm sure Boatone will already have seen the contract given the amount of time and posting we have seen, but here's a snippet:

5.1 Pay the Company a management fee of £4,850 for this service, for the duration of the 12 month pilot, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged and allow 50% of the mooring fees collected by the Company to be retained by the Company in their respective parts of the contract period. This will be capped at £20,000, net of bank charges and VAT, where applicable. If the mooring fees income exceeds £20,000 during the pilot the Agency will receive 100% of the balance after the transaction charges.

Now I'm not sure what has happened in reality, or who paid for all the modified signs (Which were mostly incorrect or badly written, leaving a very ambiguous statement which suggested one did not have to register 'unless staying more than 24 hours') or had the wrong web address on them, but this was a part of the contract I understand...
 
Confusing signs are a tried and tested method of grabbing cash from an honest, unsuspecting public. I'd like to see them send a fine to a liveaboard who doesn't have a postal address.
 
Thanks for sharing No Regrets (sorry been away for weekend). It's interesting to know the back end workings behind a system I occasionally use. Will be interesting to hear how much revenue was actually collected.
 
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