Greater risk for Thames lock users

THE Environment Agency may be putting boaters lives at risk due to budget cuts, writes Allan Richards.

The National Association of Boat Owners (NABO) chairman, Dr Mike Rodd, has written to EA chairman, Sir Philip Dilley, outlining two areas of policy change which, if implemented, place Thames boaters at greater risk of injury or death.

Fire fighting equipment removed

One change is that lock and weir keepers will be told that they should no longer fight fires at or near their lock. Lock side fire fighting equipment is to be removed to save money. Equipment will be replaced by a single 1 kilo extinguisher which are inadequate to deal with boat fires even if lock keepers were allowed to use them.

Lock ladders removed

The other change concerns lock side portable ladders which have been successfully used to rescue people from empty or part filled locks for 40 years. They are to be removed because they are 'too heavy' with budget cuts given as the reason they are not being replaced with lighter ones.

Nightmare scenario

In his letter, Dr Rodd outlines the high incidence of fire on petrol engined river craft. He also suggests the nightmare scenario of a boat fire in an empty lock, with the possibility of it spreading to other boats during the long wait for emergency services to arrive and rescue people.

The EA is being asked to confirm or deny that the policy changes are being seriously considered. If they are under serious consideration then NABO asks that they are considered from a 'Health & Safety' rather than a financial perspective.

The link  for NABO letter