Facilities - Richmond to the Barrier

[boatone]

I have sent the following message to the PLA and await a response with interest....

"re Pick up and set down points for leisure craft.

Is there a list of piers etc where leisure craft can pick up or set down passengers between Richmond and the Barrier, either on an ad hoc basis or by prior arrangement?

The availability of stopping places on this stretch oof the Thames is sparse, to say the least.

Also, has any consideration been given to providing some public moorings in the region of the Dome or any areas in the Pool? In the main we seem to be limited to a mad dash from Richmond to reach St Kats/Limehouse/SOuth DOck marinas etc with no real options to visit places on the way.

Thanks."

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

I await this with interest B1, I think Cadogan and Chiswick and possibly Westminster and St Kats but, certainly for the latter two, maybe only on an if you get away with it basis. South Dock has suggested Greenland Pier as a waiting pontoon for the lock so I guess there too perhaps.

 

[Chris_d]

Recently discovered Chiswick Pier as a good stopoff, very close to the hogarth roundabout on the A4.

 

[Brayman]

Is Pissaro's still at the top of the walkway from the pier?

 

[ms1]

I think Pissaro's was replaced with something else

 

[Coastgal]

Pissaro's is still well & truly there...do a wicked Sunday lunch. It costs about £6 to moor at Chiswick Pier for a few hours.

 

[Richard Shead]

yep, nearly went there today only rain stopped play.

 

[boatone]

Just received reply as follows:

[ QUOTE ]
Thank you for your enquiry.

Firstly most of the piers are either owned by London River Services
(part of Transport for London) or are in private hands. London River
Services can be contacted on 020 7941 2400. You should be able to find
contact numbers for all the piers on our website www.portoflondon.co.uk
under leisure then facilities. As far as moorings are concerned if you
follow the same website/leisure/services you should find places where
there are visitors moorings etc. Certainly Greenwich Yacht Club have
visitors moorings and they are very close to the Dome. The PLA does
not have any plans for moorings in the area of the Dome, neither in the
Pool of London which is a very busy space and any moorings would have an
impact on navigation.


[/ QUOTE ]
Helpful? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Brayman]

What did you expect?

 

[boatone]

Well at least I know their enquiry form works even if using it is likely to be of little use /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[byron]

I think it's a helpful reply even though it doesn't give the answers you were hoping for.

 

[boatone]

I dont disagree that they've tried to be helpful but I also think that what I asked for SHOULD be available as a service to the citizens of the metropolis.
I didn't really expect any earth shattering revelations about more mooring availability, but a directory of public landing places shouldn't be beyond the wit of the PLA/TFL.
After all, they're spending oodles of loot on encouraging bikes.

 

[TrueBlue]

As far as PLA are concerned private vessels are a **jolly** nuisance, they see their stretch as a port only and anything that gets in the way of fee paying customers are a pain to them.

Yes, they will point you to other resources (thanks!) but it's not part of their remit. Really not an unreasonable stance - again from their point of view.

As you know there was a plan to open up the river some years ago, with a glossy report and loads of hyperbole, but that barely mentioned boaters (cyclists and walkers were the recreational thrust).

What is needed is a bit of joined up will, and a clamour of users. If you look at statistics (and I haven't), I guess you'll find that PPC's are a minority - so why bother.

Perhaps sometime in the future, somebody will decide that we as a nation need some feel good factor and then the whole river will be viewed as a National Asset and enable folks to make better use of it - as was done in the past. Until then, be grateful for small mercies - before long one may need to use a pilot??

 

[MiskinDriver]

I had a similar exchange with TfL. Giving up on email, I telephoned. They explained that they were not prepared to allow people to use their piers as TfL are not aware of the boarding procedures which would be used by private boats, and neither could they guarantee that private boats would understand TfL requirements for safety management. This was fine by me as I have been preaching and using safety management, and writing safety cases etc (admittedly for aviation) for several years. I therefore offered to provide them with my boarding procedures and a full safety case for the use of their piers by private boats.

At this point, they put the phone down. I took that as a no!

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

>>>
At this point, they put the phone down. I took that as a no!
>>>

It means that "unjustifiable excuse #1 has been rumbled by a pro, look up excuse #2"