Well done Alister Trotman

[Lower Limit 1909]

The EA is constrained by its powers under the Thames Conservancy Acts and the Inland Waterways Order 2010. As navigation authority, the EA cannot stop any vessel from navigating on the non-tidal river, it may only ensure that the vessel and master complies with the acts.

In the case of any vessel, provided it is registered and the fee paid, that is the end of the matter.

Where in the EA's obligations does it say that it is obliged to supply a tug to pull barges which have (1) no power which are (2) downstream of Teddington Lock and (3) have no holding tanks up into the non-tidal river.

The EA was under NO obligation to do this yet did it did so, doing Trotman a huge favour which has allowed him to carry on polluting the river for another year.

 

[Old Crusty]

Where in the EA's obligations does it say that it is obliged to supply a tug to pull barges which have (1) no power which are (2) downstream of Teddington Lock and (3) have no holding tanks up into the non-tidal river.

The EA was under NO obligation to do this yet did it did so, doing Trotman a huge favour which has allowed him to carry on polluting the river for another year.

Why ask me? Ask the EA, I only quote the acts, not their implementation.

 

[Old Crusty]

Well i dont have an opinion on Trottman, so i dont class myself as a "Noisy Boater" (Jeeze you are annoying!) - but as someone that pays the EA nearly a £1000 a year, i do think they are as accountable in the same way as my local council that i also pay money to.
I only wish the crap managament at EA could be voted out like a council.

Only the councillors get voted in or out, not the staff who implement the policy but I guess you know that. Yes I am annoying, one of my better qualities honed over many years of dealing with complainants with a sense of entitlement.

As I've said before, if you don't like the way the Thames is managed, there are plenty of other waterways or the coast to explore. That said, from my recent experience on the canals, the management is probably the same wherever you go.

 

[TrueBlue]

Only the councillors get voted in or out, not the staff who implement the policy but I guess you know that. Yes I am annoying, one of my better qualities honed over many years of dealing with complainants with a sense of entitlement.

As I've said before, if you don't like the way the Thames is managed, there are plenty of other waterways or the coast to explore. That said, from my recent experience on the canals, the management is probably the same wherever you go.

Good heavens, you've actually been ditch crawling?? What a culture shock. At least on the River there are gaps between the boats (in some places).

 

[Parabordi]

Everything in the tone of your reply is what is wrong with EA management. Sigh

Spot the difference....

 

[normskib]

Ah Summer has arrived at last the smell of freshly cut grass the Sandmartins are already nesting at Raves Ait and of matter of course Alister Trotman has moved the first of his slum boats to the spiritual home at Teddington Lock with no doubt more to of his armada to for a carefree summer of free Moring drinking and much merrymaking and just Chuck it in the river when done!!! Just one more point it will be interesting to se if the new Lib-Dem council send in their Stone troopers to sort things out once and for all But do you know what I think ? To be continued ��

 

[Actionmat]

Ah Summer has arrived at last the smell of freshly cut grass the Sandmartins are already nesting at Raves Ait and of matter of course Alister Trotman has moved the first of his slum boats to the spiritual home at Teddington Lock with no doubt more to of his armada to for a carefree summer of free Moring drinking and much merrymaking and just Chuck it in the river when done!!! Just one more point it will be interesting to se if the new Lib-Dem council send in their Stone troopers to sort things out once and for all But do you know what I think ? To be continued ��

He's in good company. Just downstream a huge gathering of Irish Travellers have occupied the field next to Ham House.
For anyone thinking of mooring or dog walking near there over the bank holiday, don't. Last time they were here there was a mini crime wave and dogs were stolen. One cocker spaniel was recovered 6 weeks later in a Traveller site in Kent.

 

[Newbroom]

I don't understand why he cannot be moved on when on the EA property I.e. lock cuts etc. Don't tell me that they don't have the power to because it simply wouldn't have happened in the old TC days and probably not in the TW days

 

[Actionmat]

I don't understand why he cannot be moved on when on the EA property I.e. lock cuts etc. Don't tell me that they don't have the power to because it simply wouldn't have happened in the old TC days and probably not in the TW days

He moved today. His tug placed a floating skip of water tanks at Canbury gardens, presumably to reserve 'his spot', then the big Slumboat left the lock and moved up river, under Kingston bridge with Trotman standing on the bow, master of all he surveys. I doubt if it's gone far. Playing cat'n'mouse with the shat'house.

 

[Newbroom]

He moved today. His tug placed a floating skip of water tanks at Canbury gardens, presumably to reserve 'his spot', then the big Slumboat left the lock and moved up river, under Kingston bridge with Trotman standing on the bow, master of all he surveys. I doubt if it's gone far. Playing cat'n'mouse with the shat'house.

He certainly knows how to play the system

 

[Old Crusty]

Everything in the tone of your reply is what is wrong with EA management. Sigh

Spot the difference....

There is no difference, one was the next in the queue for the job, the other was parachuted in or get turned over. Both were appointed by the regional director to maintain the status quo because its easier than implementing constructive change that benefits all river users. And both have cloth ears.

 

[Old Crusty]

I don't understand why he cannot be moved on when on the EA property I.e. lock cuts etc. Don't tell me that they don't have the power to because it simply wouldn't have happened in the old TC days and probably not in the TW days

The EA does have the powers to move his boats but faces the problem of where to moor them. As a serial offender, they could just revoke his licence and remove his boats from the river then scrap them but won't as the legal process is cumbersome and AT will complain about his rights under the ECHR. So nothing will resolve this until residential moorings are offered by the local councils.

 

[Actionmat]

Surely you're not suggesting that the solution to the Trotman problem is for Kingston or Richmond to give him a residential mooring for his Slumboats?
As has been mentioned many times, he's not homeless(he doesn't even live on his boats), he's a business, a fire risk and a polluter.
What's needed is affordable hostel accommodation for his residents and the removal of his death traps.

He could have been scrapped, but the EA towed him back onto the non tidal and I still don't understand why? Now he doesn't need the EA anymore as he has his own tug and he's laughing at all of us.

 

[normskib]

All four Slumboats together at Hampton Court Bridge Anything going on that we should know about ? Maybe an all out assault on Hurst Park to join the rest of the Mötley Crüe !

 

[boatone]

Oh how I wish you'd all stop whinging about the slum boats and help draw attention to the need for those of us that pay significant registration fees to get better service when we use the river.

This years Customer Charter is now available on the .gov.uk website together with this years efforts to improve service at priority locks. I am particularly pleased that we have managed to get Temple added to the priority lock list - ie those that should not be double manned throughout the season.

You can access it here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...ampaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=daily

Do print off the Lock Priority chart and keep it on your boat. Also note that you can report locks unmanned during duty hours via the Incident Report Form on the TMBA website. You don't need to be a member, although it saddens me that many power boaters can't be bothered to fork out a fiver to help ! ( My thanks to those that do.)

I will keep buggering on ..........

 

[Actionmat]

Boating is expensive enough as it is, B1. Should we be driving people away or encouraging staycations and river use? Thames Waters extraction fee is where the shortfall should be met.

 

[Actionmat]

All four Slumboats together at Hampton Court Bridge Anything going on that we should know about ? Maybe an all out assault on Hurst Park to join the rest of the Mötley Crüe !

I knew it. They're on their way to Harry and Megan's wedding

 

[boatone]

Boating is expensive enough as it is, B1. Should we be driving people away or encouraging staycations and river use? Thames Waters extraction fee is where the shortfall should be met.

I have pursued the possibility of a greater contribution from Thames Water ad nauseam and constantly assured that they are being charged all that is legally possible - in fact there has recently been a suggestion that they may be paying more than they should be.

Whichever way you wish to argue it, the fact is that this government is intent on making a policy that those who use and benefit from assets and services should pay for them - that particularly applies to locks and lock keeping services which are primarily used by boaters. This is why it is so important that everyone who should pay actually does pay.

 

[Lower Limit 1909]

Oh how I wish you'd all stop whinging about the slum boats ..........

I'm sure we'd all be happy to oblige. The problem is that until those that have the power to fix the problem actually do so, it's the only thing we can do.

If these multi-occupancy dwellings (described by a surveyor as a 'tinderbox') ever achieve their perilous potential to go up in flames or have a CO issue with significant loss of life (which hopefully never happens) your opposition to those that have campaigned against these illegal doss houses will appear as misguided as the deliberate support provided by the EA to help keep them running.

 

[wrecktangle]

Oh how I wish you'd all stop whinging about the slum boats.

But aren't you supposed to represent our views? Maybe that's why few join your Assoc.