Thames Navigation User Forum - June meeting

[Old Crusty]

Given all the issues and the apparent lack of progress and constant problems with lock manning, registration enforcement, moorings enforcement, so called slum boats and speeding, it might be useful if as many concerned boaters as possible attend the next TNUF meeting in June at the EA's offices at Kings Meadow House, Reading.

A visible pressure group might convince Barry Russell and his team that some of us do actually care about the Thames and how its managed.

Are you up for it?

 

[Parabordi]

I thought it was closed shop? Even boatone had to fight to join

 

[Old Crusty]

I thought it was closed shop? Even boatone had to fight to join

You may attend as an observer, it helps to understand what the user reps are up against.

 

[wrecktangle]

You may attend as an observer, it helps to understand what the user reps are up against.

We know what they are up against, total Muppets, problem is we dont have anyone that represents our views.

 

[Parabordi]

You may attend as an observer, it helps to understand what the user reps are up against.

Oh we know what they are up against, incompetents and btw - the term "reps" is not accurate, they arent representing us.

So buy a train ticket to go and sit in a room, and bite your tongue for hours. Nah, you are not selling it to me.

If we cant talk, no point.

 

[boatone]

Oh we know what they are up against, muppets and the term "reps" is not accurate, they arent representing us.

So buy a train ticket to go and sit in a room, and bite your tongue for hours. Nah, you are not selling it to me.

If we cant talk, no point.

Same old, same old ...... thanks for nothing !

PS - my thanks to the new members that signed up yesterday if you watch this forum !

 

[Parabordi]

Same old, same old ...... thanks for nothing !

PS - my thanks to the new members that signed up yesterday if you watch this forum !

Same old, same old ...... thanks for nothing !

 

[wrecktangle]

Same old, same old ...... thanks for nothing !

PS - my thanks to the new members that signed up yesterday if you watch this forum !

Word on the grapevine is yours is a one man band and you only chase what "you" believe not your members.

 

[Pump-Out]

Given all the issues and the apparent lack of progress and constant problems with lock manning, registration enforcement, moorings enforcement, so called slum boats and speeding, it might be useful if as many concerned boaters as possible attend the next TNUF meeting in June at the EA's offices at Kings Meadow House, Reading.

A visible pressure group might convince Barry Russell and his team that some of us do actually care about the Thames and how its managed.

Are you up for it?

Date? Time?

 

[Lower Limit 1909]

Excellent suggestion to attend. However ...

Can somebody explain to me what the terms 'User' and 'Forum' mean in the context of the Thames Navigator User Forum?

I regard myself as a 'User' of the Thames (at several levels). Unlike many 'Users' of the Thames I am also required to pay for my particular 'use' so might be considered a 'user' with a vested interest.
A forum is "a meeting or medium where ideas and views on a particular issue can be exchanged"

Given that by the sounds of it I can neither participate as a 'User' nor exchange any ideas in the so called 'Forum' this 'event' sounds misleadingly named.

 

[Parabordi]

Agreed!!

 

[boatone]

Excellent suggestion to attend. However ...

Can somebody explain to me what the terms 'User' and 'Forum' mean in the context of the Thames Navigator User Forum?

I regard myself as a 'User' of the Thames (at several levels). Unlike many 'Users' of the Thames I am also required to pay for my particular 'use' so might be considered a 'user' with a vested interest.
A forum is "a meeting or medium where ideas and views on a particular issue can be exchanged"

Given that by the sounds of it I can neither participate as a 'User' nor exchange any ideas in the so called 'Forum' this 'event' sounds misleadingly named.

Suggest you consult the 2018/19 Customer Charter which has now been published:
River Thames: Customer Charter 2018 to 2019

Section 10 on Pages 5 and 6 will answer some of your questions including details of the various people who attend and who they represent.

 

[oldgit]

This may come as complete suprise to some but the outside world had subsidies cruelly snatched way in the early 1980s.
For some reason the non tidal Thames navigation has enjoyed a charmed life of addiction to other peoples cash to support what is basically a hobby.
Only recently some, were prepared to go to law to avoid paying virtually anything towards the upkeep of the river.
If you want to jeer from the sidelines, fine,but at some point those attempting to do something will just get very fed up and leave the whingers to enjoy the fruits of their apathy.

Worth selling tickets to watch the chaos when the EA finally calls it a day goes completely self service and lets you lot fight it out.

Nowhere else in the UK enjoys what you have and are going in the right direction to lose it.

 

[Lower Limit 1909]

B1 Thank you. I've read that, and it appears I have to be a member of one or other club (your's or other's) that might (or might not) represent my views on my behalf. It's a shame there is no real 'forum' in which individual users views can be expressed and aggregated.

A lot of river users have no desire to be a member of a club. In restricting input on policy representation to clubs (which mostly have little or no real internal democracy), the EA are disenfranchising large swathes of individual river users.

Turning up (duck tape over mouth optional and should be removed at the bar) seems like a good idea.

The where and when information would be useful.

 

[Newbroom]

This may come as complete suprise to some but the outside world had subsidies cruelly snatched way in the early 1980s.
For some reason the non tidal Thames navigation has enjoyed a charmed life of addiction to other peoples cash to support what is basically a hobby.
Only recently some, were prepared to go to law to avoid paying virtually anything towards the upkeep of the river.
If you want to jeer from the sidelines, fine,but at some point those attempting to do something will just get very fed up and leave the whingers to enjoy the fruits of their apathy.

Worth selling tickets to watch the chaos when the EA finally calls it a day goes completely self service and lets you lot fight it out.

Nowhere else in the UK enjoys what you have and are going in the right direction to lose it.

+1

 

[Actionmat]

.
For some reason the non tidal Thames navigation has enjoyed a charmed life of addiction to other peoples cash to support what is basically a hobby.

Meanwhile, the government squanders millions of pounds of our cash supporting something that is basically a hobby. Cycling.

 

[ianc1200]

"problem is we dont have anyone that represents our views"

Well Boatone spends a huge amount of time attending meetings & trying to protect Thames Boaters - I assume Wrecktangle has a completely different set of objectives?

 

[oldgit]

Meanwhile, the government squanders millions of pounds of our cash supporting something that is basically a hobby. Cycling.

the attempts to encourage folks to get on their bikes has advantages for all .....
It helps to reduce congestion by way of removing commuters from roads,it improves the health of the population in general by reducing pollution especially in cities....
and is healthy exercise !

not sure that chugging up the Thames while sitting on ones bum,emitting untreated fumes, handing your rope to a lockie and then turning round and coming back down again has quite the same effect on public health.

 

[boatone]

B1 Thank you. I've read that, and it appears I have to be a member of one or other club (your's or other's) that might (or might not) represent my views on my behalf. It's a shame there is no real 'forum' in which individual users views can be expressed and aggregated.
A lot of river users have no desire to be a member of a club. In restricting input on policy representation to clubs (which mostly have little or no real internal democracy), the EA are disenfranchising large swathes of individual river users.

This is the very reason I formed the TMBA - to act as a representative body for all powered craft users on the non tidal Thames. IT IS NOT A CLUB.
Membership is restricted to owners of powered craft who pay a registration fee to the EA for the non tidal Thames.

As with any such body it is necessary to collect the views of members and try to ensure that they are fairly and reasonably represented. However, it is simply not possible to reflect extremist views and it is essential that we act responsibly in our dealings with the EA. The fact that I can identify every member and that they are all registration fee payers - ie contributors to the river) lends considerable force to my elbow. Note that all those representatives who sit on TNUF are expected to fairly represent the views of their members.

Unlike most other clubs and organisations, TMBA members are kept up to date individually by direct Newsmails and can contact me personally. That almost 90% of members have renewed their membership for 2018 suggests that they are satisfied with my stewardship. I believe that the TMBA consultation submission regarding this years increase in licence fees was the most comprehensive of any and every single member had an opportunity to contribute.

However - you can't please all the people all the time .......

 

[Flynnbarr]

What are the extremist views on here or the river B1 ?