The EA Survey

boatone

boatone

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 Jul 2001
Messages
12,845
Location
Just a few cables from Boulters Lock
www.tmba.org.uk
Last year the EA commissioned a survey of Boaters - you can see the results HERE

Worth reading but only around 1,000 people took part. There are just over 30,000 registered craft (82% of which are on the Thames) and all licence holders were invited to participate.

Did you complete the survey??

Did anyone in this forum participate in the workshops that were conducted as part of the exercise?
 
I completed the survey although I am really struggling to see how the EA have taken any notice of the results!

Top priority for most respondents was to deal with Maintenance, overhanging trees and surprise surprise dregding.

I reported a tree last winter which was wedged under my boat, it was almost 50foot long! EA came eventually after several calls ane emails and measured the pontoon I was on for Rates purposes against the marina!
Then told us to let the tree go! Both myself and the marina questioned this as it would have blocked the next weir down, but no joy.
Eventually the marina I am moored in arranged for it to be craned out an chopped up.

Obviously was not a high priority item to EA.

Now, I have asked AngleaQ several times in the last couple of days to confirm whether the Shoals mentioned already above and below Benson Lock have been dealt with or scheduled to be dealt with.

Presumably the team leader like the other 50million people in this country has a mobile phone? You would have thought so as modern communications are being sited as a reason for ditching lock keepers housing?

And I am still waiting for an answer......

If they are this slow on the highest priority items, what chance is there for the river?

It really saddens me how much the river has been run down in the last few years, money spent in all the wrong places and emphasis on glossy brochures rather than the things that matter.

The powers that be should hang their heads in shame.
 
I completed it, but it was very difficult to answer in the way you wanted, the wording of the questions and the limited multichoice answers gave you limited options. For instance do you think the EA spends enough on marketing?
A: Yes
B: No spend 10% more
C: No spend 20% more
D: No employ a consulant to determine the amount to spend on marketing, analysis the target demographic, design a new website and conduct a survey to determine the marketing proportional spend. Design a suitable logo to promote the marketing effort and give it an identity the target demograhic can relate to, probably a wavy line of some sort reminiscent of the rivers path or relaxing rivery ripple etc, etc....

Sorry boatone i'm bleating and ranting again /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Answer to benson Dredging...

Just received this back from Angela......

Hi - I've spoken to the team leader about this. Apparently the shape of the river around benson makes it particularly susceptible to shoals. We spent £35k in winter 06.07 removing the shoals only for them to return with the high flows in the summer and in January. It's an ongoing problem and we are trying to keep a log of customers who have any problems to help raise it as a significant issue that needs a longer term solution. We over dredged it when we did dredge to try and prolong the reoccurance of the shoal but nature is against us. We are trying to sort it out. I can't say when this will happen but we are aware of the issue and will do all we can. In the meantime let us know when/if you have issues and we will keep a log of them to help up the ante on it.

Thanks again Angela for coming back to me on this.
 
Re: Answer to benson Dredging...

[ QUOTE ]
Apparently the shape of the river around benson makes it particularly susceptible to shoals.

[/ QUOTE ]

Its the wrong sort of river!!!

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Re: Answer to benson Dredging...

[ QUOTE ]
I can't say when this will happen but we are aware of the issue and will do all we can. In the meantime let us know when/if you have issues and we will keep a log of them to help up the ante on it.

[/ QUOTE ]

So what we need is lots of people to ding their props at Benson, then send the bill to the EA, so that they can make it enough of an issue to sort it then.

Go on then Mike trip up to Bensons, I'll follow you (with my legs lifted).

Darren.
 
Re: Answer to benson Dredging...

[ QUOTE ]
Just received this back from Angela......

Hi - I've spoken to the team leader about this. Apparently the shape of the river around benson makes it particularly susceptible to shoals.

[/ QUOTE ]

As far as I am aware this shoaling problem only commenced about 6 years ago. So who changed the shape of the river there, it looks the same to me as it did when my wife had the house nearest the Weir built about 20 years ago.
 
Re: Answer to benson Dredging...

We would go through Benson regulary between 1994 and 2001 and never heard of any shoal problems then.

The 'shape' of the downhill run into Benson and the weir is straight with the gentlest of curves to the right taking you into the lock cut. It doesn't narrow either so I don't see how it is the wrong shape causing the problem??
 
Re: Answer to benson Dredging...

Well thanks Angela for getting an answer, shame its not a positive one.

I've been going through Benson since I was a kid, 30years+ and shoals on the upstream side never existed, not sure what could be causing it, all I can think of is the reduced boat traffic.
 
Re: Answer to benson Dredging...

I can even name the first boat ever to hit the Shoal above Benson. It was I'm Dots., John Blake's Princess 30ds. He was on his way through travelling up to The Shillingford Bridge Hotel when he went firmly aground. This was I think in the January and about 6 years ago. It took him and Alan Hastings (now retired) Lockie both by surprise. No one had heard of shoaling there until then.
The only changes to the river in that vicinity was South Oxfordshire's banning of the S.B.H. moorings above Shillingford Bridge.
 
Re: Answer to benson Dredging...

[ QUOTE ]
My memory might be wrong but wasn't a gas/oil pipe put through/across/under the Thames above Benson a few years ago?

[/ QUOTE ]
Nope! It was above Cleve Lock and about ¼ mile down from me, I was used on some of the marine side of the operation. The pipe was trenched in and the chalk spoil removed completely.
 
Re: Answer to benson Dredging...

Yes something did cross just above the marina I think, in addition to the one byron is refering to. Difficult to see how it would affect the lock cut though, but river flow is a funny thing.
 
Re: Answer to benson Dredging...

Slightly worryingly, it then took 4 years for the EA to dredge it. and less than 2 years for it to come back. Its a shame Actief is no longer operating she was probably taking the top off every fortnight /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: Answer to benson Dredging...

So just where is this shoaling then? Nice map piccy here so you should be able to describe it quite easily !

bensonlock.jpg
 
Re: Answer to benson Dredging...

[ QUOTE ]
Yes something did cross just above the marina I think, in addition to the one byron is refering to.

[/ QUOTE ]
It's coming back to me. Just below Rush Court - not a pipeline; it was cables being laid.
 
Re: Answer to benson Dredging...

On the upstream side as you pass the end of the finger of Lock island there is a bar linking it to where the bank starts to turn.

On the downstream side just after the finger as if the finger was extended. I'll see if I can mod your photo and repost it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top