Thames Navigation General Byelaws 1993

[capnfishy]

There has been much debate and occasional speculation about boater conduct and the rules on the river this year. Notable amongst the topics have been lock etiquette, running engines in lock chambers, moorings and speeding.

As my current position (but retirement beckons) requires me to have oversight of the regulations and how they are interpreted day to day, I attach the link to the Thames Navigation Licensing and General Byelaws 1993. The file seems too big to load here so if anyone has a specific query and no interweb access, do let me know and I shall endeavour to answer it.

And another thing, if you have questions about boat licencing and enforcement you can ask me that too though there will be no reply possible for any sub judice cases or personal data.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...navigation-licensing-and-general-byelaws-1993

As we used to say on the patrol boats, 'Education, encouragement, enforcement!'

 

[Riverleak]

There has been much debate and occasional speculation about boater conduct and the rules on the river this year. Notable amongst the topics have been lock etiquette, running engines in lock chambers, moorings and speeding.

As my current position (but retirement beckons) requires me to have oversight of the regulations and how they are interpreted day to day, I attach the link to the Thames Navigation Licensing and General Byelaws 1993. The file seems too big to load here so if anyone has a specific query and no interweb access, do let me know and I shall endeavour to answer it.

And another thing, if you have questions about boat licencing and enforcement you can ask me that too though there will be no reply possible for any sub judice cases or personal data.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...navigation-licensing-and-general-byelaws-1993

As we used to say on the patrol boats, 'Education, encouragement, enforcement!'

Ok a question on licencing and enforcement then. What are the EA doing about all the unregistered boats that are moored along the riverbank year in year out without any signs of them paying any fees. I've seen one boat attached to a house that must be well over a £1m who's last licence displayed was 2003.

 

[AuntyRinum]

Yes, Capnfishy, answer that please.

 

[capnfishy]

The answer is to check every vessel moored on the banks and book all that are unregistered. This was done last in 2012 after the Olympics and was deemed successful (I know!) But, you need the manpower and there are just 8 officers in the enforcement team to cover the whole river. The paperchase that follows is slow and bureaucratic.

There is another solution - Article 16 of the IWO permits the removal and disposal of unregistered vesels after a 28 day warning. The EA could remove the boats to a yard and recover costs at auction. I'm a fan of that but it's seen as draconian and needs to be managed effectively, therein lies the challenge for the EA.

Under the Inland Waterways Order 2010 its no longer an offence not to display a current licence so often boaters just don't bother if not navigating.

 

[Riverleak]

And that's progress!!! Omfg!

 

[capnfishy]

Pepys was right! The law is an ass.

 

[capnfishy]

Just for clarity, it is a requirement to display a licence, just not an offence if you don't. So the patrol officer fires up his steam powered laptop, connects via satellite to the licensing database, punches in the boat name only to find the owner has paid up already. That's if you can get a signal.

A shorter answer would be a fixed penalty notice, administered by one of the civil enforcement firms. But that will need primary legislation and I doubt the PM has it on her agenda right now.