Thames river conditions web page proving popular!

A

angelaquayle

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 Jul 2007
Messages
120
Visit site
The post about the river conditions thread reminded me....

What do you think of the new river conditions web information:
www.visitthames.co.uk/riverconditions

So far we've had 308 people sign up to receive email updates, 3000 unique computers viewing the info and over 15,000 views of the page since we launched it in late November.

Angela
 
It's an excellent site, lets me know just what is going on on the river while I'm stuck at home.
I just need to find a way of getting it while out on the boat!
 
Option 1 - phone the recorded info which is still available: 0845 988 1188 and select option 1, followed by quick dial 011131

Option 2 - get a Blackberry

Option 3 - wait for phase II of the site which will hopefully incorporate text messaging too.
 
Option 4, Get a laptop with mobile broadband - getting to be a reasonable price now.

BTW, Doesn't have to be a Blackberry for option 2, quite a number of current phones will let you browse the web.

Come on Ian, get with it!
 
I find the site 1st Class and really good that it is updated as conditions dictate, including weekends which is real progress. My Blackberry arrives tomorrow !
Well done to all at the EA who developed the site
 
Angela

Sorry to be the brokjen record, seriously I am but....

We only hear from you when you are flogging something! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

If a commercial poster did this, they would get shot down in flames in no time at all.

If this is really a two way relationship between forumites and yourself - then perhaps answering a few forumites concerns and questions would demonstrate this? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Unfortunately this posting will probably send you scuttling back to Reading Towers until you have something else to push.

The web page is a big improvement, but something that quite honestly should have been done a long time ago and something I would have expected the EA to do anyway?
Even my one man band local Doctors surgery has a web page and takes bookings online without the budget of the EA. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I have repeatedly asked why come end of September, that Lockeepers were seen by forumites to be missing from their locks rendering all boaters having to self operate locks?

We paid for 12months, why are we only getting 6months full service?

Look forward to hearing from you during the next PR promotion!

Mike
 
I don't scuttle!!

I asked the operational teams whether lock manning was down for any reason in Sept/Oct and there wasn't anything particular happening so I didn't know what to respond with really. The stream has been all over the place so perhaps lockkeepers were manning the weirs. There were also some staff changes at the bottom end of the river so some staff needed some training which might have taken them off site. The summer assistants would have gone too. It sounded like you thought there was something different happening - but it wasn't.

Angela
 
Thanks, I appreciate the response...better late than never.

All I trying to say is that a little honesty and openness goes a long way and gives better PR than just flogging the web site.
 
Ooh! Seems a little harsh.

Seems to me an attempt to provide good information to Thames users. Can't see that Angela is pushing a commercial site as such, OK the EA is a large gov. dept., but surely this is just a useful service. Or am I missing something?

I know I only visited the river briefly last year, so you may well have issues with lock keeper availability, but that's a separate thing. I know I found many locks unmanned, but I just got on with it.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I know I found many locks unmanned, but I just got on with it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I bet that PR disaster for prospective River visitors wont make it into the next "River Views" mag! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
No disaster of any kind, as far as I was concerned. Certainly wouldn't stop me returning, there are hundreds of unmanned locks in the rest of the UK's inland waterway system, I've negotiated most of 'em.

Why do you NEED a lock keeper, if one is available that's a bonus. I can understand why a locky would be very good for one of the old style hydraulic systems, but they are disappearing, ain't they?
 
I dont have a problem with losing them per se, if the license fee were reduced to reflect that. I started in the Canals for 10years before the river.

I think you miss the point, the problem here is a general reduction of service in many areas including the old chetnuts I have mentioned zillions of times before but with a three year roll on price increases of 12% every year (albeit with a slight reduction this year as they are closing the door after the horses have bolted.)

This is the same as is happening with local services from councils and just as Local Gov have to be held to answer for their lack of service , so does the EA.

Pointless complaining? - probably, but dont see why they should get away with it without anyone questioning it, do you?
 
I see your point, but it's same everywhere isn't it? Pay more get less, Post Office, local councils and, of course, our wonderful national government. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

But you are right, it all should not pass without being questioned.

Still think the river conditions web page is genuine attempt to give something, however small, for the money.
 
To me its the cut back in the lock assitance that is the big problem, not to many years ago the asistance started for the Easter week end and I think worked through untill the end of September/October 1/2 term holiday allowing the lock keeper all the time he needed to make and recive his phone calls.
The condition web is good, it would be nice to know if the weirs were fully open, I also have problems with the boards being red at one lock when all around are yellow.
I suppose it would be too much to ask if an unmanned lock could be highlighted on this page.
 
[ QUOTE ]


I suppose it would be too much to ask if an unmanned lock could be highlighted on this page.

[/ QUOTE ]

Especially if it was a manual one - but hopefully there won't be many of them left after this year!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top