Introducing Thamesbank

[Thamesbank]

Great to find a forum dedicated to the Thames!
Thamesbank is an organisation which works to bring life to the River Thames. We work with river groups to promote the Thames and protect it where we can. Our current projects are pushing for river inclusion into the Lots Road site and responding to the watering down of the Blue Ribbon policies in the current London Plan alterations.
Previous projects involved fighting the proposals for the encroachment of Fulham Football grounds into the river and the inclusion of the Blue Ribbon policies into the London Plan.
I look forward to hearing your views on river policy.

Gary Evans
Thamesbank

 

[Chris_d]

Not sure I understood a word you were talking about, "blue ribbon policies" /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif I presume this a tidal Thames only organisation?

Welcome to the forum though /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Thamesbank]

Blue ribbon policies in the London plan

Hi Chris,
The Blue Ribbon policies are intended to protect and improve the river (and canal) environment in London.
Here is some background information:

Blue ribbon policies
John Vidal article

 

[apollo]

A bit like the RIVER THAMES SOCIETY then?

 

[Chris_d]

Re: Blue ribbon policies in the London plan

Interesting stuff, I would love to keep my boat in central London but theres no where to go outside of a couple of marinas. Certainly anything that encourages leisure boat use of the tideway, more piers, visitors moorings at attractions, boatyard facilities etc.. is welcome.
The river in central London does now seem to have become just a nice view for expensive penthouses.

 

[theguvnor]

Have you got a boat ? (on the Thames or anywhere else)

 

[byron]

Anything that promotes the use of the Thames is OK by me. Especially if it means providing more facilities for boaters on the Tideway.

 

[Thamesbank]

Yes I have a boat

I have a boat. She's a pretty dutch barge with original sailing rig. Not on the Thames at the moment though.
But I do regularly mess around on the Thames.
The last journey down the Thames was in a mirror dinghy from Richmond to the Apprentice wall in Isleworth. No motor, just the sails. Time before that was going to the Thames Festival this year in a tiny inflatable with a 2.5 hp outboard.

 

[Thamesbank]

Not really like the RTS

Thamesbank is an independent organisation, like the RTS, but we act mostly with lawyers to protect the river. The RTS do not challenge in this way, possibly due to the potential financial liabilities of such actions.

 

[TrueBlue]

Re: Not really like the RTS

Boating folk need something like you, ThamesBank, as the PLA is quite hostile to any pleasure user on the Tideway. For example they have done their best to discourage NarrowBoaters (perhaps Byron works for the PLA?) by requiring them to carry and use Marine radios. This with no real consultation and very suddenly to boot.

Their staff were also stroppy when I enquired about PLA mooring buoys.

I suspect most boaters use the tidal bit as a conduit and not to dally, stopping on the way. Shame 'cos it's a wonderful trip.

 

[tazzle]

Hi -

Yep, wholly agree the facilities and development on the tideway are abysmal; every square inch of waterfront is being taken over by fungaloid blocks of mediocre flats, all with tiny minute balconies, ogee roofs and an orange or blue stripe up the side. Where are all the new moorings? Piers? facilities?

The 'often tired and emotional' bloody Mayor is doing an utterly crap job, and all the borough councils with river frontages know as much about boaty facilities as they do about running a whelk stall.

The PLA are a bunch of unreconstructed fascists who imagine some glorious future uber-age ven nozing lezz zan 300GRT vill be allowed on den River und alles must pay pilotage.

So do feel free to have a decent rant on here!

 

[byron]

Re: Not really like the RTS

Narrowboats were required to carry a VHF when using the Tideway. I believe the rule is relaxed provided boats are in convoy provided head and tail had VHF. I am uncertain of this, perhaps someone can confirm or deny. The VHF rule is universal and in my view sensible. There's a lot goes on there and one needs to be made aware, whether its a bridge jumper or traffic movements.
I think reason NBs aren't exactly encouraged onto the Tideway is because they simply don't have the power to get themselves out of trouble, they can only go with the flow and many do not know the rules of the road. Last but not least their engines aren't used to the strain and have been known to fail with the stress of going flat out for several hours. In short the craft are totally unsuitable for the conditions they could encounter.

 

[Thamesbank]

The PLA

The PLA are concerned about safety and interested in promoting freight in the river (BTW, they made a million in profit last year). Small boats and narrow boats are mostly a safety issue in their eyes. Didn't know about the VHF requirement though.

Perhaps you should voice your concerns at the next PLA meeting. The lack of facilities on the Thames in London is stunning. We raised this point at the last meeting with them two weeks ago. The provision of moorings etc. is written into the Blue Ribbon policies of the London Plan, but it is being ignored by counicils and developers. This is where we are fighting right now!

 

[ianc1200]

Re: The PLA

Byron

Generally what you say is true, but of course there are exceptions, my usual crew on Straight Across has had his NB modified where necessary, and we have done several tideway trips, to the Medway, The Blackwater up to Maldon, across the Wash three times, the Severn up to Sharpness from the Avon & most difficult, the tidal Mersey from Liverpool up to Widness and beyond,etc etc. We've always been very careful about conditions and wouldn't do anything to encourage other NB's to do the same. Two other NB's/crews, Chris Coburn and Progess, and the crew of Ocean Princess have made coastal passages, including around Lands End, that would be beyond the sort of thing I'd be interested in. The one thing about NB's at sea is how comfortable they are in in a head sea. We had a bad case of rolling across the entrance to the Crouch and would avoid those conditions again, but then the conditions changed when we were out.

We took the NB out from Bow Creek early December to go to the docks for the boat show, along with a NB club, all against the tide, and two did break down/overheat, as suggested above, they weren't up to the strain put on their engines.


IanC

 

[byron]

Re: The PLA

I distinctly remember Coburn's crossing of the Channel. I was on duty as a Coastguard at the time, you wouldn't believe the amount of facilities tied up and on stand-by because of it.
Advocating a NB at sea to me is tantamount to calling for Mopeds to be allowed on Motorways. No matter what precautions are taken the craft is not designed for the conditions it cannot even rise and fall on a wave and if caught on two rolls of a Super Tanker could snap like a twig.
The support boats.... just because they are there doesn't preclude the Coastguards duty of care. If something went boss-eyed it would still be them that took the flack.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Re: The PLA

Good points here. There are a lot of little wharves and docks with new housing alongside them, my brother in law lives in such a fancy flat in Grays. The dock would make a superb little mooring for 15 or so boats, if it had some access from the river. Boats would need to be able to take the ground and some of the ground is a bit shopping trolley at the moment, but it is a wasted resource.

From a night passage last week a lot of the bridge lights could do with a clean, brighter bulbs or even bulb replacement.

 

[chuckaduck]

Re: Not really like the RTS

[ QUOTE ]
For example they have done their best to discourage NarrowBoaters (by requiring them to carry and use Marine radios.



[/ QUOTE ]

All vessels in the tidalthames should carry at least hand held radios

Its only common sense

 

[boatone]

Re: Not really like the RTS

[ QUOTE ]
For example they have done their best to discourage NarrowBoaters by requiring them to carry and use Marine radios. This with no real consultation and very suddenly to boot.

[/ QUOTE ]

The rules still only require VHF to be carried by vessels over 13.7 metres and narrowboats are specifically excluded from this requirement if travelling between Teddington and Brentford. Hardly call that 'discouraging narrowboaters' /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Full notice HERE

 

[Thamesbank]

New VHF requirements on tidal Thames

Here is the full notice. I think the PLA are being quite fair on this. Anyone who has taken a journey to, or from the sea through London will appreciate the need for good communications onboard. Commercial craft will additionally need AIS, which costs a lot more then a VHF radio.

New VHF requirements on tidal Thames
21-Aug-06

All users of the tidal Thames are advised of a change in VHF equipment requirements.

From 1 September 2006, new General Directions from the Port of London Authority (PLA) come into force making it compulsory for all boats over 13.7metres (45ft) to be equipped with and use VHF radio. Previously this only affected boats over 20metres (65ft).



All users of boats over 13.7m are also reminded of the need to have a valid VHF licence and operators certificate.


Please note it will be possible to apply to the PLA harbourmaster for an exemption for non VHF equipped boats (not just narrow boats) to be escorted by VHF compliant boats, when navigating upstream of Bow Creek.


The new rules apply to all types of craft throughout the tidal Thames between Teddington and the sea, except as noted above. However, narrow boats specifically travelling in either direction between Brentford and Teddington in west London are exempt.


The Port of London Authority accepts and understands that boat users affected by the new rules may require time to equip their craft with VHF equipment and to acquire a valid VHF licence and operators certificate. Consequently, there will be a transition period from September 2006 until 1 April 2007 in order for users to meet the new requirements. During that time, PLA harbourmasters and patrols will offer guidance and advice to users who have not yet been able to implement the new Direction.


· If you require advice / guidance, contact the Port of London Authority on 020 7743 7912.

· For more information about all safety rules on the tidal Thames visit www.portoflondon.co.uk

· For more information on all aspects of the new General Directions go to http://www.portoflondon.co.uk/notice2mariners/index.cfm/flag/2/id/2615/site/navigation

· For the full text of the new General Directions go to http://www.portoflondon.co.uk/pdfs/maritime/General_Directions_2006_-_printers_copy1.pdf

 

[boatone]

Re: New VHF requirements on tidal Thames

Dunno why you needed to post all that lot.....all you needed to do was click on the word HERE in my post to read the PLA regs notice ! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif