THE ENVIRONMENT AGENCY is carrying-on its clear-up of illegal and abandoned boats on the Thames.
Making it the biggest boat clean-up in years, Janet Friend reports.
Massive clean-up
This massive clean-up has already seen 53 abandoned vessels that were mostly left on the riverbanks cleared away.
The agency tells that owners are responsible for removing sunken wrecks and it intends to recover costs once they are identified for irresponsible boat owners have caused a blight on the Thames for far too long.
It intends to remove over 100 sunk and abandoned boats from the river in what it has called its biggest clean-up operation in a decade.
The operation began in July of last year and the latest phase focuses on boats across the non-tidal Thames, particularly on its lower reaches. Image by Environment Agency.
A pleasant place to visit
A representative of the agency told it has called it 'a clean slate' and said they are working with Oxford City Council, landowners and other key stakeholders to make sure the river was 'a pleasant place' to visit.
We are told that once an old vessel is removed it is taken to a compound for assessment where they will decide whether it has any value. From there it will go to sale, where we try to recover costs or it will go to destruction.
Boats on the river need to be registered and comply with the agency's requirements including insurance and a valid boat safety certificate.