apollo
...
From http://www.narrowboatworld.com:-
<span style="color:red">
Environment Agency accused of giving in to heath and safety issues on the Thames
MANY boat hire companies on the Thames are complaining that the recent rainfall has hit their business, for which they blame the Environment Agency for putting up red warning boards.
Red warning boards are put up when the agency believes the river, though not in flood, could be dangerous for 'amateur' boaters, which means that hire compenies cannot allow hirers onto the parts of the river where the the boards appear, so lose business.
This leaves hirers having to choose whether to cancel their trips or get a licenced skipper to take the boat through the red board reaches of the river. This means that in many cases hire companies are having to give hirers their money back for cancelled bookings.
One hirer, Gordon Wicks, of Caversham Boat Services, confirmed:
"We had a slow start to the season due to the weather and we are now again struggling. We're having to give money back to customers. No business can survive long having to refund money."
Business believe that the Environment Agency's fear of health and safety issues are forcing it to put warning boards up too quickly and not being removed when river flows are safe.
But the agency's Eileen McKeever maintained that any changes in water levels can be dangerous and safety must come first, pointing out the unusual high flows.
One regular Thanes hirer Malcolm Ready told narrowboatworld:
"Four of us have regularly hired on the Thames, as we have friends and relatives living near the river whom we call to see, and they tell us that they often now see warning notices out on levels that they never did before.
"And though it will not be until later in the year when we hire again, we are worried that we will be effected by this new safety, safety safety panic."
Narrowboaters too have had to moor-up whilst the boards were out, not being allowed through locks, but giving way to pressure, Louis Jankel tells us that the agency has agreed to give a five days extension to their visitor permits. 13/06
</span>
Personally - I have just booked my two weeks sailing in Holland, fed up with Red Boards every time somebody spits in the River.
<span style="color:red">
Environment Agency accused of giving in to heath and safety issues on the Thames
MANY boat hire companies on the Thames are complaining that the recent rainfall has hit their business, for which they blame the Environment Agency for putting up red warning boards.
Red warning boards are put up when the agency believes the river, though not in flood, could be dangerous for 'amateur' boaters, which means that hire compenies cannot allow hirers onto the parts of the river where the the boards appear, so lose business.
This leaves hirers having to choose whether to cancel their trips or get a licenced skipper to take the boat through the red board reaches of the river. This means that in many cases hire companies are having to give hirers their money back for cancelled bookings.
One hirer, Gordon Wicks, of Caversham Boat Services, confirmed:
"We had a slow start to the season due to the weather and we are now again struggling. We're having to give money back to customers. No business can survive long having to refund money."
Business believe that the Environment Agency's fear of health and safety issues are forcing it to put warning boards up too quickly and not being removed when river flows are safe.
But the agency's Eileen McKeever maintained that any changes in water levels can be dangerous and safety must come first, pointing out the unusual high flows.
One regular Thanes hirer Malcolm Ready told narrowboatworld:
"Four of us have regularly hired on the Thames, as we have friends and relatives living near the river whom we call to see, and they tell us that they often now see warning notices out on levels that they never did before.
"And though it will not be until later in the year when we hire again, we are worried that we will be effected by this new safety, safety safety panic."
Narrowboaters too have had to moor-up whilst the boards were out, not being allowed through locks, but giving way to pressure, Louis Jankel tells us that the agency has agreed to give a five days extension to their visitor permits. 13/06
</span>
Personally - I have just booked my two weeks sailing in Holland, fed up with Red Boards every time somebody spits in the River.
