AMBLING slowly down the Thames, as we currently are, there have been a few changes since our last trip on the river in 2010, writes David Hymers.
The summer assistant lock keepers seem to have largely disappeared, though I did see a chalk notice at Boulters advertising for them, and been replaced by volunteers, all with their clothing suitably endorsed.
Still, all the locks so far have been fully manned, and not a single one on self service. Traffic has been fairly light and I have not yet had to queue. There seem to be more shoals (buoyed) and fallen trees than I recall in the past, especially above Oxford. When I commented on this to one lock keeper he said that the management consider the river to be 'self-dredging' and won't take any action.
I hope this will comfort the narrowboater we met stuck on a shoal (he had ignored the buoy) and failed to pull off. He had to phone up and get them to raise the level to un-stick him. Fortunately the reach is a short one.
Increasing Costs
Pump out cards cost £8 on the Thames, for equipment that is identical to that offered by CaRT, who have the nerve to charge an outrageous £14.85. I have railed against this before, but have still not seen any justification from CaRT, beyond the vague excuse that it is the 'market rate'. It obviously is not, if the EA can charge £8 and no boatyard on the canals that I have come across charges more than £12, and that is for attended service, including chemical. In any case, it is discriminatory, since those with Elsan's pay nothing for the service.
One charge that has gone up on the river is moorings. The ruling fee for paid moorings now seems to be £8 per night or in really rapacious cases, like South Bucks District Council, '24 hours or any part thereof'—which makes for an expensive coffee stop if they catch you. Even the pirates of Henley Town Council (£9) let you moor for free during the day.
New colour scheme
The EA are introducing new signage and a new colour scheme for the river. Since 1974, when the Conservancy was abolished, the Thames has undergone several changes of control, each one attended by a rash of new signs, so the old ones never get a chance to wear out. Interestingly, the new scheme seems to be fundamentally black and white—all the lockside bollards have been painted thus and the new signage, on view at Bray and Boveney, is similarly themed.
I can only assume that this is being done in preparation for the merger with CaRT, about which we are still being told absolutely nothing.
Included in the new signage is a fancy electronic board, which was scrolling vital messages encouraging the purchase of licences and suggesting you ask the lock staff about the condition of the river. Apparently each of these signs costs £11,500 and they are going to be installed at every lock. Yet the EA is so hard up it cannot clear fallen trees or dredge shoals.