Trotman barge below Hampton court

oldgit said:
As for doing something about this, any attempt to get something moving will have to start from the top, suspect the number of folks actually prepared to sit in a cold draughty meeting room on any winters evening is going to be limited.
no pressure from public.no incentive to do anything ?
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Unfortunately true. Attendance at any meetings of river users related to the management of the river is pathetically small with the possible exception of RUG 8 which covers the Molesey to Teddington stage where much of the activity being discussed here takes place.
The fact is that the EA believe they are actually tackling these issues within the powers available to them and seem reluctant to accept that they should be fighting their political masters to acquire additional resources.
To make matters worse, money is being spent from navigation budgets on what is primarily a social and welfare issue and should be the responsibility of the local authorities.
Regrettably, the "slum boats" and illegal mooring issues have taken centre stage and neither users or the EA seem capable of presenting any proposals to tackle the real root cause - lack of funding.
Oh, and before someone raises the possible CRT transfer that ain't gonna happen any time soon (read 3-5 years or more) and in the meantime decline will continue.

Sorry, I seem to be repeating myself again - and again - and again ..........
 
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oldgit said:
Is this craft one of the serial offenders or just some unfortunate in the wrong place at the wrong time. ?
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The former.

Incidentally, I think this boat went from floating at her marks to resting on the bottom overnight, which I find remarkable. It did have a fairly fat hose coming out of an orifice, with the end in the river. Perhaps this was a near-continuous bilge pump discharge, which stopped, or even back-syphoned to flood the boat when the pump packed up.
 
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sarabande said:
Having been brought up on the Thames (though now committed to the briny down in the SW), I find I am increasingly frustrated by the failure (there is no other word) of the concerned authorities, MPs, and boat owners/river users associations to get to grip with the substantial risks posed to human life and the environment by this group of boats.

There seems to be ample documented evidence that both the probability of an incident, with perhaps consequences for human death(s), and extensive damage to wildlife and the bankside environment, is being ignored or shoulder-shuffled.

If there is a fire or flood today, and people die, there will be an enquiry as to who knew about the risks and consequences, and who failed to do anything or raise the matter with the competent agencies.


The legal evasive tango should have been stopped long ago, and these boats forced to operate in a safe and harmless manner. That nothing has happened over several years is a measure of the incompetence and ineffectiveness of the regulatory agencies, and a lack of concerted drive by affected boaters and landowners. Why a public meeting has not brought together everyone affected, so that a strategy for mitigating the risk structure, and developing an effective legal case history for preventing continuing abuse of the regulatory and statutory systems, is a comment underlying the present dangerous situation.
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I could not agree more with your statement, unfortunately most people will agree with you but turn a blind eye if they have to get involved. There are some on the forum who do get involved but they sadly are in a minority.
 
AM - that group was set up in Sep 2014. Yet Trotman's dangerous boats are still there.

I'll repeat my view, based on over twenty-five years managing major risks in the public and private sector, that if a death or substantial environmental damage occurs NOW, then it is very likely that there will be pointed criticism of the officers of the agencies involved in this disconnected shambles and in the failure to mitigate the clearly established and proven risks posed by these vessels.

It needs a coordinated meeting from the political, legal and executive organisations involved. There is no clear lead group controlling progress, and this is enabling Trotman to waltz merrily up and down the river, and continue to risk the lives of the residents on board his boats and on adjacent landowners' properties, as well as threatening an environmental incident.
 
On Molesey lock island just upstream of the lock ( opposite the water point )

The slum landlord had 1 ton of coal delivered at tedders the other day , so it looks like he isn't expecting to give up the favela anytime soon.
 
A floating tinder box of gas bottles, plywood, funny smelling cigarettes and now with an added ton of coal? The lack of action from the authorities beggars belief:confused:
 
boatone said:
Recognising that whatever action the "authorities" may take must be legal, what, exactly, do you suggest they should do ?
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Use the bylaw that they wasted my council tax on? Involve HMRC? Let a H&S inspector loose on his vessels?
I suppose he's only been giving the EA and LBRuT the finger for a decade, so what's the rush?:cool:
 
boatone said:
Recognising that whatever action the "authorities" may take must be legal, what, exactly, do you suggest they should do ?
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Do the EA not have any management on vast salaries that are cleverer than Trotman? If they don't I suggest they employ him to show them what to do.
For months/years you and others have told everyone with an interest in not allowing the lower reaches to end up resembling something like a mini Hoo village that its logistics,getting all the relevant parties together,landowners,councils etc etc etc......
He is currently on EA water on EA land.
 
boatone said:
Recognising that whatever action the "authorities" may take must be legal, what, exactly, do you suggest they should do ?
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Well the short answer is: They could grow a pair and consider that seeking forgiveness after taking physical action may be a viable alternative to seeking permission beforehand. Impound his boats and let him sue them. If he wins then God help us all.

Slightly longer, It seems to me that the various applications to the courts, while they have certainly changed the landscape and Trotman has certainly been sufficiently impressed by them to inconvenience himself to the extent of moving his fleet a few times, are defective in that they have not explicitly included provision for the seizure and destruction of these vessels should they continue to violate the various statutes, bylaws and rulings concerned. If I am wrong, they simply need to Act. If I am right, they need to go back to court, quickly, to get a better order.
 
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Arnold Tarling, a chartered surveyor and member of the association for specialist fire protection ... "I'd describe it as a bonfire, basically it's timber with loads of holes waiting for a match." http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-35871064

Trotman's vessels are laden with large propane cylinders, a ton of coal, and diesel for generators. In their current position under a footbridge used by 4000 people a day they present a serious risk to the safety of the public. They also threaten major infrastructure damage to both the bridge and the lock gates themselves as any fire will be major and accompanied by explosions and these heavy boats will drift down onto the lock once ablaze.

If those who are responsible for the bridge and who have a duty of care to pedestrians using it are not going to take action to remove the danger, they should close the bridge to pedestrians or be prepared to justify their inaction when (and I fear it's more when than if) it all goes horribly wrong.
 
Ran past all of them today inc Hampton Court one, did not know that was still there.

The one on the bottom in Tedd is steel so not sure what happened there.

To sum up my useless post on a Friday night they are an utter disgrace and actually put a real downer on the enjoyment the towpath usually gives me.
 
Hmm fair comment, I did think that but a couple of fixings on the bow looked a little narrow boat in style.

However I was running and did not stop ! Didn't want to slow my pace !

Will take a look in the week when I stroll over.

Either way it's a friggin mess !
 
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