RUG meeting Henley, ?result?

TrueBlue

TrueBlue

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There was some noise about the Riparian, sorry, River Users' Group, in preparation for the meeting last week at the Rowing Museum.

I had intended to go but was struck down by some unpleasant URTI.

I've not seen any comments / treads on the subject.

Anyone got any info:??
 
I liked this extract from the Minutes:-

"when one of the club’s anglers (their Head Bailiff) was fishing at 3am from St Peter Street, he retrieved a sculling boat – purloined from Marlow RC by passing revellers and thrown from the bridge – intact. In gratitude, Marlow RC made a donation to the Angler and gave him night fishing rights from the Rowing Club apron."

What a sensible move. They have shown appreciation (and got themselves a free night watchman too /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif )
 
Lesson 1.

Want free fishing rights? Go to your local rowing/ yacht club, take a boat, lob it off the nearest bri....oh, you know the rest /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

That was a good move though...nice one!
 
Hmmmm....... not exactly brimming over with boat relevant stuff, is it? In 4 full A4 pages of minutes the following was about it.....

[ QUOTE ]
Delegates’ questions:
What was the situation on reduced manning of locks? Response: a non-problematical lock such as Hurley may very well be found unstaffed out of season.
How might Thames by-laws, eg speeding launches, be enforced out of hours? Response: arrangements with River Police cover are moving up-river – currently as far as Walton.
Why no plans for user-power at Marlow lock? Response: Difficult lock – 2010 target.
Why differences in user power kit? Response: lower-cost kit installed up-river – in hand
How effective was radar gun this season? Response: several warnings, one prosecution.
Why are lock-unmanned signs yellow? Confusion with yellow boards. Response: noted.

[/ QUOTE ]

As "unstaffed out of season" seems to be being used quite frequently these days, isn.t it time we had a definitive statement re "the season" ? I would have thought April to September would be reasonable in which case October to March would be "out of season". Howver evidence this year suggests that September has been very much "out of season" with regard to lock manning and I suspect April may well go the same way. If this is true it would appear that "the season" is just May to August - eg 4 months!

Whilst the incident re the fisherman and Marlow RC is a nice story, there is another more cogent para re the lockie at Marlow:
[ QUOTE ]
Events Secretary and others congratulated and thanked Duncan Holmes-Birtles, the resident lockkeeper at Marlow Lock, who had by quick and decisive out-of-hours action defused a potentially fatal incident above the lock and facilitated the arrest of a drunken boat-thief. Phil Green reported that as a result, a prosecution was proceeding.

[/ QUOTE ]
That should do the SOS lobby a great service - well done Duncan.
 
There's an ATYC meeting on Wednesday at Penton Hook with and interesting looking agenda. I would normally go but I'm not sure about using SWMBO's car in the dark, all the controls are back to front!
 
[ QUOTE ]
As "unstaffed out of season" seems to be being used quite frequently these days, isn.t it time we had a definitive statement re "the season" ? I would have thought April to September would be reasonable in which case October to March would be "out of season". Howver evidence this year suggests that September has been very much "out of season" with regard to lock manning and I suspect April may well go the same way. If this is true it would appear that "the season" is just May to August - eg 4 months!

[/ QUOTE ]
From a RUG newsletter
At the August TWWG meeting, EA introduced a proposal to reduce lock staffing in ‘shoulder periods’ for a few weeks each end of but within, the generally recognised April – October boating season. In that this would create uncertainty as to whether some locks would or would not be manned, I have said: “My understanding of what you have in mind is that (in the Shoulder periods) on some days some locks upstream of Caversham will not be manned … and upstream of Osney, the standard will be downgraded to something like Winter levels. I believe this is unacceptable:

¨ EA insists that, for each boat, two ropes are used and manned and engines are switched off. Thus – allowing for the fact that one crew member has to work the lock – two able-bodied and competent crew members (three for large boats) are required.
¨ Many older and less agile boaters have chosen to spend their boating leisure time on the Thames in the knowledge that they will get help at locks. They do not wish to (and in some cases cannot) work though locks on their own. Usually, there is a crew of just two.
¨ Faced with the possibility that some locks are likely to be unmanned, the boaters I have highlighted become disadvantaged – discriminated against, one could fairly say – in that their boating season becomes reduced to just the Summer period.
¨ The reliability of service at locks is fundamental to promoting the hire trade.
¨ You are proposing this reduction in service at a time when your customers have accepted a swingeing above-inflation cost increase.
¨ There is no objection to having to wait during short breaks – such as at meal times and when weirs are being attended to. It is the threat of intended all-day unmanning during any part of the recognised boating season that is unacceptable.”
 
And on a point of correct use of English:
a disabled angling platform has been installed at ray Mill Island;........ and disabled toilet and disabled parking, etc, /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

They are not disabled (a disabled toilet would be one that wasn't working properly)- they are facilities for the use of those with disabilities.

It should read:
an angling platform designed specifically for people with disabilities has been installed at Ray Mill Island;
 
[ QUOTE ]
I would normally go but I'm not sure about using SWMBO's car in the dark, all the controls are back to front!

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I think you should go and keep an eye on them, not to mention being able to report back and give us a sensible appraisal of what conspires.
Perhaps you could even encourage them to persuade all their club members to join the forum!

Anyone else going to be there?

Note:

Quote from foot of Agenda:

[ QUOTE ]
ATYC IS REPRESENTED ON ALL THE FORUMS THAT MATTER TO
MOTOR BOATERS ON THE THAMES

[/ QUOTE ]

So who is their rep on here then /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Any idea which RUG that came from?

Minutes of WWWG meeting on 6 AUGUST 2008 include the following paragraph only on this issue:
[ QUOTE ]
5.5 Members were asked to give their views on seasonal lock manning levels to help management get the best fit between staff resources and reasonable customer expectation. Members made a number of comments.
5.5.1 Shoulder season should include Easter if in March or 1 April. With the current trends toward an Indian summer it should run into October. This will encourage new and hire craft onto the river.
5.5.2 Proposals for winter cover are fine.
5.5.3 Summer Assistants are needed from 1 May.
5.5.4 There should be full manning AT LEAST on weekends in April and in October until 6pm.


[/ QUOTE ]
 
[ QUOTE ]
Ah..... it was RUG 3 - Sandford to Cleeve - that Byrons and ChrisD's patch , isnt it?

By coincidence they also have a meeting next Wednesday in Benson Parish Hall -
AGENDA

Looks even more interesting than the ATYC one......can anyone go?

[/ QUOTE ]
Me, me, me - if I can be arsed
 
That's my issue too Mike, it's a bit of a trek to Penton, but I think I have a lift from Warwick Morgan who's a Vice something and lives in my village. I need to replace my written off wreck!
 
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