Tesco's Reading

[Old Crusty]

It occurs to me that whoever is managing the moorings for Reading council and others would need our contact information to proceed with any legal action to recover the mooring fee. This is not a fine as this is a civil agreement. The operators can't get our contact details from our boat names, only the EA could supply that and they can only give boat owner names to other parties/the police in connection with criminal offences, not civil ones, or risk falling foul of the GDPR/Data Protection laws.

My query is this - what appeal process exists and is there an ombudsman to go to in the event of a dispute? I think Reading council is on shaky ground and anyone issued with a mooring fee invoice (penalty charge) for what is really only a minor civil trespass should write to the management company and tell them you'll see them in court. It won't be worth their while to defend the case IMHO.

 

[TrueBlue]

It occurs to me that whoever is managing the moorings for Reading council and others would need our contact information to proceed with any legal action to recover the mooring fee. This is not a fine as this is a civil agreement. The operators can't get our contact details from our boat names, only the EA could supply that and they can only give boat owner names to other parties/the police in connection with criminal offences, not civil ones, or risk falling foul of the GDPR/Data Protection laws.

My query is this - what appeal process exists and is there an ombudsman to go to in the event of a dispute? I think Reading council is on shaky ground and anyone issued with a mooring fee invoice (penalty charge) for what is really only a minor civil trespass should write to the management company and tell them you'll see them in court. It won't be worth their while to defend the case IMHO.

I wish I had your confidence in current EA management not releasing owner's details to a third party. Certainly a 'conversation' with another 'supplier' some years ago produced a similar response...
I've seen nothing helpful (one way or another) in my annual registration documents. Time to rattle some cages, perhaps?

 

[Old Crusty]

I wish I had your confidence in current EA management not releasing owner's details to a third party. Certainly a 'conversation' with another 'supplier' some years ago produced a similar response...
I've seen nothing helpful (one way or another) in my annual registration documents. Time to rattle some cages, perhaps?

I'm afraid I have virtually no confidence in EA management having spent several years working with them and most forumites share this view or stronger. The Peter Principle is alive and well in the Waterways Department. And for what it's worth, I think the whole outsourced management of moorings by DE and such like is a sledge hammer to crack a nut compared to unlawful permanent moorings growing daily in the Sunbury area.

 

[cereal tiller]

You are so right Crusty Chap.

 

[TrueBlue]

I'm afraid I have virtually no confidence in EA management having spent several years working with them and most forumites share this view or stronger. The Peter Principle is alive and well in the Waterways Department. And for what it's worth, I think the whole outsourced management of moorings by DE and such like is a sledge hammer to crack a nut compared to unlawful permanent moorings growing daily in the Sunbury area.

As I understand it, DE have only THREE moorings managed by them and none are EA's -
Kingston,
Hampton Court Palace,
Reading.

EA moorings are managed by TVM and under EA's existing rules (first night free etc) - hopefully (!) leaving EA to get on with other matters.....

Edit:
I'm told that the number of overstayers on EA moorings have reduced markedly recently.

 

[Chill]

There are similar signs at Sonning outside Uri Geller's

 

[TrueBlue]

There are similar signs at Sonning outside Uri Geller's

Ah - yes, so there are. Not mentioned on the 'interactive map' and I can't be bothered to look through the listing which is in no particular order.....

 

[jct1981]

Noticed all the mooring charging signs I previously shared pics of have gone from the new moorings. A few narrowboats moored up there now.
Worth checking properly rather than take my word for it (it was dusk) but neither I nor anyone else on the boat could spot any of the 5.

 

[TrueBlue]

Noticed all the mooring charging signs I previously shared pics of have gone from the new moorings. A few narrowboats moored up there now.
Worth checking properly rather than take my word for it (it was dusk) but neither I nor anyone else on the boat could spot any of the 5.

We went past slowly a couple of weeks ago and many of the signs that were attached to the fence previously have been defaced or removed. However there was one in good condition, on the ground at the far upstream end beyond the boardwalk. You'd only notice it if you were trying hard to find one.
I've no idea what the legal aspect of the signage would be - does the concept of 'the man on a Clapham Omnibus' rule apply or something more sinister?? For example - it's up to the parker / moorer to seek out a notice, or said removed / defaced are still valid?

The cluster of DBs and other craft moored in the trees are unmolested as they have been throughout this saga.


As you move above the lock and further into Reading territory, the signs are well placed, undefaced and readable

 

[No Regrets]

I'm waiting for Harry Hogwash's 'Tripadvisor review' on these moorings. Might be better than even Abingdon :ambivalence: