boatone
Well-Known Member
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
What should we expect for our licence fee?
- Thread starter boatone
- Start date
Chris_d
Well-Known Member
Good question, I get a sticker for the windscreen I think /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
We used to get a little book with the sticker that stated what we should get, had things in it like when the lockkeepers would be on duty, minimum maintained depths etc... however as we no longer get this I must assume theses thing's are optional /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
We used to get a little book with the sticker that stated what we should get, had things in it like when the lockkeepers would be on duty, minimum maintained depths etc... however as we no longer get this I must assume theses thing's are optional /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Outinthedinghy
Well-Known Member
You pay for your license and you get the right to navigate one of the most beautiful and varied navigable rivers on earth. I think its a bit of a bargain personally. a bit of dredging would be handy in places, to be fair.
Chris_d
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
You pay for your license and you get the right to navigate one of the most beautiful and varied navigable rivers on earth. I think its a bit of a bargain personally. a bit of dredging would be handy in places, to be fair.
[/ QUOTE ]
I won't argue that the river this beautiful, however we do pay a premium price for it, a BW license gives you a few thousand miles of waterways and the river thrown in as well if you buy a gold one.
You pay for your license and you get the right to navigate one of the most beautiful and varied navigable rivers on earth. I think its a bit of a bargain personally. a bit of dredging would be handy in places, to be fair.
[/ QUOTE ]
I won't argue that the river this beautiful, however we do pay a premium price for it, a BW license gives you a few thousand miles of waterways and the river thrown in as well if you buy a gold one.
boatone
Well-Known Member
Surely it would not be unreasonable to expect some sort of statement of 'level of supply' or Customer Charter that clearly states the operating targets relating to maintained depths, lock manning hours of duty, availabilty of pumpouts and sanitary stations etc etc? For instance, if a pump out is out of service should it not be possible to commit to a level of service that targets it being fixed within, say, 24 hours?
To just say "Give us £500 quid and we'll let you use the river" seems a tad cavalier, dontcha think?
To just say "Give us £500 quid and we'll let you use the river" seems a tad cavalier, dontcha think?
apollo
...
If EA/AngelaQ cannot even be bothered to answer the thread on absent lockies, what is the point of this? ....they plainly don't give a toss.
Chris_d
Well-Known Member
A document must exist somewhere, I've been quoted facts and figures etc.. by many peeps, e.g EA are only required to keep the middle 3rd of the river clear, it would be interesting to track this down.
boatone
Well-Known Member
You really wouldnt make a very good politician /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
DogsBody
Well-Known Member
Well as it has been increasing by far more than the (official) inflation rate, I think it is only fair that we can expect better / more service than previously.
I.e.
more manned locks / longer manned hours.
more / better moorings
improved facilities - pumpouts etc
a safely navigable river across its whole width - not just a few feet in the middle of the channel.
Now to be fair, some of the above have improved i.e. out of hours powered locks (especially if the clocks are now going to be set correctly) and there has been some dredging but there appears to be a lot of wastage - take the downstream waiting zone for Bray lock for instance, countless pounds spent re-doing it and it might actually be slightly longer than before but the slightest bit of rain and it disappears under water, rendering it useless!
I.e.
more manned locks / longer manned hours.
more / better moorings
improved facilities - pumpouts etc
a safely navigable river across its whole width - not just a few feet in the middle of the channel.
Now to be fair, some of the above have improved i.e. out of hours powered locks (especially if the clocks are now going to be set correctly) and there has been some dredging but there appears to be a lot of wastage - take the downstream waiting zone for Bray lock for instance, countless pounds spent re-doing it and it might actually be slightly longer than before but the slightest bit of rain and it disappears under water, rendering it useless!
Outinthedinghy
Well-Known Member
I realise my post may have appeared a bit obtuse as my user name implies I simply have a dinghy, for which I pay quite a small license fee. I do also have a 25x8ft6in motorsailer with a Thames license and quite a deep draught. I haven't noticed any significant problems this year on 3ft6in draught apart from above Oxford where I would expect problems anyway. I think there may be a problem at Windsor on the open field opposite the hire dinghies but i haven't stopped there. I could see the bottom of the river clearly.
Public power is quite a nice thing to have but it will help to hasten the disposal of resident lock keepers. I personally would prefer the lock keepers. I suspect that the two can't continue together for long because it appears that all you need to do to run a lock is press a button and stand in the sunshine. Its not that simple but once the pedestals have been modified and the sensors fitted to the gates it does appear to be simple to anyone just having a look around. unfortunately some of those people 'just having a look around' are in charge of the organisation. this is quite sad.
Public power is quite a nice thing to have but it will help to hasten the disposal of resident lock keepers. I personally would prefer the lock keepers. I suspect that the two can't continue together for long because it appears that all you need to do to run a lock is press a button and stand in the sunshine. Its not that simple but once the pedestals have been modified and the sensors fitted to the gates it does appear to be simple to anyone just having a look around. unfortunately some of those people 'just having a look around' are in charge of the organisation. this is quite sad.
ADLS
Well-Known Member
I would just like to see the service that me as a customer have paid for. I spent a month on the Thames this summer and felt that I was the nuisance not the customer. 40% of the river staff treated me with an off handed manner, some could'nt even return 'The time of day' but is this the way of the world?????
Would I recommend the Upper Thames as a product, well no as the company behind have no idea of customer relations.
Thats why Lazy Days a Dunkirk Little Ship is now berthed in Holland.
Would I recommend the Upper Thames as a product, well no as the company behind have no idea of customer relations.
Thats why Lazy Days a Dunkirk Little Ship is now berthed in Holland.
boatone
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
Public power is quite a nice thing to have but it will help to hasten the disposal of resident lock keepers. I personally would prefer the lock keepers. I suspect that the two can't continue together for long because it appears that all you need to do to run a lock is press a button and stand in the sunshine. Its not that simple but once the pedestals have been modified and the sensors fitted to the gates it does appear to be simple to anyone just having a look around. unfortunately some of those people 'just having a look around' are in charge of the organisation. this is quite sad.
[/ QUOTE ]
You are, of course, right. But the public power programme started some time ago and is unlikely to be reversed. One could argue that the locks operations were powered already so why did we need a secondary system? Presumably because the full power capability was regarded as being too dangerous for us mere mortals to be allowed to use it out of hours and unsupervised. I personally wonder if it wouldnt have been a damn sight cheaper to have offered experienced boaters a short training course and exam leading to a 'competency' qualification and the issue of a key as enjoyed (I believe) by trip boat operators. This would also have the advantage of creating a team of 'voluntary lock operators' also able to assist inexperienced users with a level of authority.
Public power is quite a nice thing to have but it will help to hasten the disposal of resident lock keepers. I personally would prefer the lock keepers. I suspect that the two can't continue together for long because it appears that all you need to do to run a lock is press a button and stand in the sunshine. Its not that simple but once the pedestals have been modified and the sensors fitted to the gates it does appear to be simple to anyone just having a look around. unfortunately some of those people 'just having a look around' are in charge of the organisation. this is quite sad.
[/ QUOTE ]
You are, of course, right. But the public power programme started some time ago and is unlikely to be reversed. One could argue that the locks operations were powered already so why did we need a secondary system? Presumably because the full power capability was regarded as being too dangerous for us mere mortals to be allowed to use it out of hours and unsupervised. I personally wonder if it wouldnt have been a damn sight cheaper to have offered experienced boaters a short training course and exam leading to a 'competency' qualification and the issue of a key as enjoyed (I believe) by trip boat operators. This would also have the advantage of creating a team of 'voluntary lock operators' also able to assist inexperienced users with a level of authority.
apollo
...
It would be a damn sight cheaper to go back to the old locks with beams on the gates and the big wheel to open the sluices. Much greener as well!
boatone
Well-Known Member
Five just flew over my house.......it would have been six if you hungry gits in BCC hadnt eaten it last Saturday /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
boatone
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
I would just like to see the service that me as a customer have paid for.
[/ QUOTE ]
But thats the problem....what have you paid for?
A Service Level Agreement from the EA in exchange for our licence fee would be nice, wouldnt it?
I would just like to see the service that me as a customer have paid for.
[/ QUOTE ]
But thats the problem....what have you paid for?
A Service Level Agreement from the EA in exchange for our licence fee would be nice, wouldnt it?
apollo
...
Dont tell me the fifth one was scratching its scratchings!! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Yeah I know, but it would have saved them a bundle in electrificating all them locks this winter...
I'll go back to sleep now....zzzzzzz /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Yeah I know, but it would have saved them a bundle in electrificating all them locks this winter...
I'll go back to sleep now....zzzzzzz /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
teddington_lock
Well-Known Member
I spent a day working Sunbury Old lock when i was a relief ( after i sheared off the gate ram on the first lock of the day ) ...
T'was a hot summer saturday , and by the end of the day , i was fit to drop ( literally ) ... i had boaters helping me all day , just for the fun of doing it 'the old fashioned way' , but it still kills you !!
Those lock-keepers of yesteryear must have been really really strong !
T'was a hot summer saturday , and by the end of the day , i was fit to drop ( literally ) ... i had boaters helping me all day , just for the fun of doing it 'the old fashioned way' , but it still kills you !!
Those lock-keepers of yesteryear must have been really really strong !
propnut
Well-Known Member
What a good idea.I for one would be happy to have my skills tested .
Brayman
Well-Known Member
I do believe Eileen McKeever was looking at the possibilty of "volunteer labour" some years ago but the Elf'n'Safety brigade together with the lawyers and insurers were against it.
Sad times when we can't help each other.
Sad times when we can't help each other.
Andrew_Fanner
Well-Known Member
>>>
( after i sheared off the gate ram on the first lock of the day ) ...
>>>
OK, I'll bite, spin dit. Not for collective amusement you understand, but so we don't do it by mistake if we are going to be working the locks more often.
( after i sheared off the gate ram on the first lock of the day ) ...
>>>
OK, I'll bite, spin dit. Not for collective amusement you understand, but so we don't do it by mistake if we are going to be working the locks more often.
