boatone
Well-Known Member
Just received from EA
Lock keeping service this weekend
- Thread starter boatone
- Start date
oldgit
Well-Known Member
At least they have warned folks in advance...something like this was bound to happen eventually.
Perhaps best plan is to avoid the weekend peak hours crush, go early or late.
We will be arriving during the peak holiday period, better brush up on my lock operating techniques, in case this is just a precursor.
Perhaps best plan is to avoid the weekend peak hours crush, go early or late.
We will be arriving during the peak holiday period, better brush up on my lock operating techniques, in case this is just a precursor.
Parabordi
Well-Known Member
or just potter up and down Henley reach and get in the way.
LimL
Well-Known Member
Currently at Oxford, strange (and good) that all the locks from Goring upwards were fully manned including reliefs/ volunteers. And all friendly and helpful. And not on the list for this weekend either. Maybe the EA management is more competent upriver?
Parabordi
Well-Known Member
its not often you hear EA Mgt and Competent in the same sentence!
TrueBlue
Well-Known Member
It's a huge list - quite frightening to see so many locks unmanned and listed as such (rather than to arrive and think "yet another lock on self service"..
Two matters to add insult to injury -
1. A cross reference to a publication that has nothing to do with the Thames - their locks are all manually operated
2. Nothing has been done to replace the lock operation notice - most of which have been removed and absolutely no effort to make them intelligible to either those who think they understand the operation or more importantly to those who don't.
Two matters to add insult to injury -
1. A cross reference to a publication that has nothing to do with the Thames - their locks are all manually operated
2. Nothing has been done to replace the lock operation notice - most of which have been removed and absolutely no effort to make them intelligible to either those who think they understand the operation or more importantly to those who don't.
Gibeltarik
Well-Known Member
And no mention of the resources deployed at Henley Regatta - I saw 5 patrol boats in the reach from the grandstands yesterday. That must be affecting lock service - passengers included the Waterways Manager amongst many others - but no dedicated Angel Guard patrol obvious.
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boatone
Well-Known Member
angelguard patrol was two men In an open dory in the vicinity of the bridge when we went through yesterday morning.
Probably saw at least 10 EA staff including several standing around the head pedestal at Hambleden lock, none of whom responded when I said “Good Morning”.
Re the advisory notice today this is an all time low - never seen a notice like that before, ever.
When will the EA get the message that the waterway is a seasonal activity and holidays need to be scheduled out of season.
The concept of Customer service is alien to them. The reference to the CRT Boaters Handbook is a joke - I have been trying to work with their staff for well over a year to try and improve pedestal instructions.
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oldgit
Well-Known Member
H,mm. not sure I would wish to be sitting on any UK beach with my family in December, because the EA employment contract prohibits summer holidays for staff ?
boatone
Well-Known Member
Oversimplification hides the message, Fred. But when locks are better manned on weekdays than at weekends some serious questions need asking.
Big John
Well-Known Member
Which is why most LWK go abroad for their holidays.
Big John
Well-Known Member
Volunteer Lock Assistants should be used more.
TrueBlue
Well-Known Member
That doesn't solve the problem - because a Volo is not allowed to work entirely on his own - there must be a qualified member of EA staff on hand at that site.
In the past EA hired and trained short term staff to fill seasonal shortfalls - but are they doing that this year - if not, why not?
boatone
Well-Known Member
If you read the first para of the notice it refers to resignations of 3 summer reliefs - so the answer is yes.
Dont worry, the fuss will all have died down by Monday. The irony is that the EA didn’t need to telegraph the information and boaters would simply have thought things were pretty much as becoming expected !
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Outinthedinghy
Well-Known Member
I wonder if the old term "summer relief" and "volunteer" have been conflated somewhere along the line.
They are two different things.
At least one volunteer has recently " resigned" (how does that work then) because of the crotch strap lifejacket issue.
They are two different things.
At least one volunteer has recently " resigned" (how does that work then) because of the crotch strap lifejacket issue.
boatone
Well-Known Member
See new thread
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Big John
Well-Known Member
I saw on another forum a picture of 6 CRT volunteer lock assistants with life jackets but no crotch straps. I do not have the knowledge to be able to transfer the picture otherwise I would add for evidence.
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Old Crusty
Well-Known Member
CRT uses Typhoon automatic lifejackets with no crotch strap. I have Crewsaver LJS for personal use when boating and have removed the crotch straps as they chafe in the important little places. The EA is being over cautious and, doubtless quoting some H&S reason while ignoring history and the probability of falling in.
