So who's for Enforcement?

[boatone]

We occasionally see the word 'enforcement' mentioned in this forum, usually in connection with speeding, unlicensed boats , overstaying moorings and the like.

The assumption seems to be that 'Enforcement' is something the 'authorities' - primarily the EA but perhaps also, in some circumstance the Police, should be doing to enforce the law and bye laws in relation to the river.

So, how do you view 'enforcement'? Do you expect there to be an authority presence clearly in evidence and taking direct action to advise and/or apprehend offenders ? Or do you regard 'enforcement' as being the action taken once an offender has been identified which may include prosecution ?

From a personal point of view, my expectation is that there will be an EA presence on the river - primarily River Inspectors and Lock Staff - charged with ensuring that the various laws and bye-laws are complied with and that suitable action is taken where a breach is evidenced.

However, Lock Keepers are by the very nature of their work confined to the lock areas and, according to the 2009/10 Annual Report for the RIver Thames, a TOTAL of 310 river patrols by boat were carried out during the year - less than ONE per day for the WHOLE length of the non tidal Thames.

My conclusion is that 'Enforcement' at least as far as the EA is concerned is going to largely be reactive rather than proactive - in other words 'we no tell-ie...... they no do-ee' except when they happen to be in the right place at the right time.

 

[ianc1200]

Does the 310 patrols include EA providing multiple patrols during major events such as Henley Royal Regatta? If so, considerably even less than one patrol per day.

IanC

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Duty keeper at Teddington on Monday evening asked if I required a licence and was happy to see that I did not. Otherwise I've only been asked in April or May. I saw a patrol boat last May near Chertsey, and one now and again noses into the weir stream at Sunbury, probably looking over the boats on Kings Lawn.

The only time a patrol boat's crew has spoken to me in 2 years or so was at Windsor earlier in the year when I was out in the tender on a jolly with the children. They seemed vaguely upset that all aboard were wearing lifejackets, a kill cord was in use, the tender had a current river licence and was clearly marked with the name of the mother ship as well as its own name

 

[Mark M]

I did see a patrol on duty over the whole 3 days at the Boat show at beale park on the bank Holiday weekend, patrolling that stretch constantly.

On a different matter mapledurham Lock even had 2 extra water points installed at the lock as a temporary facility for everyone going to the show, and then all the locks local to the show had 2 lockkeepers on duty to help with the increased water traffic, but now when the show is over I suppose it will be back to lack of water filling facilities with a hose and back to one lock keeper on duty at busy times, who rightly has to put the self service sign up when he/she is carrying out other duties and having his breaks,

The above comments are in no reflection to the service our lock keepers offer, whom i think offer a great friendly service, and I dont mind doing the self service duties as it is all part of the fun

 

[teddington_lock]

Otherwise I've only been asked in April or May.

At Teddington ?

We make a point of asking any boats with no visible licence that turn up at Tedders whatever the time of year whether they require one ..

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

At Teddington ?

We make a point of asking any boats with no visible licence that turn up at Tedders whatever the time of year whether they require one ..

Nope, Penton Hook of all places!

 

[teddington_lock]

Is your licence prominently displayed on a forward facing window ?

 

[TrueBlue]

I did see a patrol on duty over the whole 3 days at the Boat show at beale park on the bank Holiday weekend, patrolling that stretch constantly.

Quite sterling duty; helping casual visitors to find moorings, acting as Carter Patterson to the EA stand with "keep our river clean" packs of goodies (? did anyone notice that EA had a small corner of a tiny stand, whilst BW had a big slot in the IWA marquee(s)?

They even had a bit of practice of driving in the dark - heading up the illuminated, singing flotilla
Thank You's to Steve and Brian!

On a different matter mapledurham Lock even had 2 extra water points installed at the lock as a temporary facility for everyone going to the show, and then all the locks local to the show had 2 lockkeepers on duty to help with the increased water traffic....

The same applied upstream all last week; every lock double staffed. Very impressive at the back end of the season, but where were the boats?

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Is your licence prominently displayed on a forward facing window ?

Nope, due to ease of access, its prominently displayed in the window next to the skipper. Its also curled up like an old British Rail sandwich for some reason

 

[Brayman]

Its also curled up like an old British Rail sandwich for some reason

Ha ha, mine did that this year! Looks a right mess in the forward cabin window.

 

[Ramage]

Ha ha, mine did that this year! Looks a right mess in the forward cabin window.

So did mine! I have never had one do that before... was it the good weather or is it some new initiative from the EA? I think we should be told....


:0

 

[boatone]

Oh dear, a serious thread about enforcement issues has degenerated to a discussion about the efficacy of sticky labels and their visual similarity to BR sandwiches ( is there such a thing as a 'BR Sandwich' these days? )

Never mind, we will no doubt all have embossed tin strips with numbers on soon when the BW lot gain overall control - their idea of enforcement will probably be sending the boys round ............

 

[Ramage]

Well, those sticky labels are what the EA staff look for to see that the boat is licensed, so their curling up and becoming unreadable is relevant to a discussion on enforcement...

The Thames Conservancy (genuflect etc) used to issue nice enamel plates... I bet they never had problems with them curling up....

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Duty keeper at Teddington on Monday specifically mentioned that curling up of licence plaques seemed to be an issue this year.

 

[teddington_lock]

Well , that was me ... i don't remember seeing you Andrew ?

The boat i spoke to definately wasn't Jedi ....

Bit late in the season now , but if anyone wants a new one , we have a stack of them at Tedders ....

 

[Captain Coochie]

Yup mine curled up this year aswell .
I think lock keepers should be given slipper launches and blue lights so they can police thier reach .

 

[No Regrets]

Easy to forge: Roll up a coloured bit of paper in a piece of cling-film, and the lockies won't look twice!!

 

[CJL]

The EA are risk based regulators so random patrols isn't going to fit into that ethos. Targeting the Regatta's/Shows type affairs is a much better way of using the limited resource.

Plus its not just a matter of pushing an officer out the door saying go do enforcement. They needs to do loads of training, be double manned and know how to collect evidence. The Bill is certainly not a fair representation of how enforcement is done!

In my experience BW do even less enforcement, primarily because their bylaws only allow tiny fines and it costs more to bring the case to court than the maximum fines allowed by the bylaws.

CJL

 

[Jaysay]

The EA are risk based regulators so random patrols isn't going to fit into that ethos. Targeting the Regatta's/Shows type affairs is a much better way of using the limited resource.

Plus its not just a matter of pushing an officer out the door saying go do enforcement. They needs to do loads of training, be double manned and know how to collect evidence. The Bill is certainly not a fair representation of how enforcement is done!

In my experience BW do even less enforcement, primarily because their bylaws only allow tiny fines and it costs more to bring the case to court than the maximum fines allowed by the bylaws.

CJL

I agree the general sentiment on lack of enforcement - I would say that this feature has deteriorated significantly even in the 5 years that I have been permanently on the Thames.

As to BW enforcement, it is not brilliant, I agree, but a few years ago they instigated a mammoth enforcement programme on the K&A Canal at Bath - using a heavy-lift barge to physically remove boats that had no licences. Caused quite a disturbance in the space-time continuum... Sadly, said run-down boats all now seem to be on the Thames, notably at Reading!