New system for Thames moorings

THE Environment Agency has done away with regulating its moorings on the Thames and passed it on to a private company that will run them on the car park system.

To ‘improve customer experience and compliance' at visitor moorings on the non-tidal Thames the Environment Agency advises that its visitor moorings on the river will be controlled by the private company TVM, Roger Fox tells us.

Managing bookings

It has now taken over the responsibility for managing bookings and collecting fees at 21 of the 22 visitor mooring sites currently operated by the Environment Agency.

Boaters will have to register their arrival (a condition of use) online or by phone at any time of day, and pay any fees using a debit or credit card, or through Paypal. At present, they register their arrival with the duty lock keeper, who can also take cash payments for any fees due, but with the withdrawal of many lock keepers this system is proving difficult to maintain.

Boost income

The new arrangement is expected the boost the income that the Environment Agency receives from its visitor moorings and improve its ability to monitor usage and take enforcement action if necessary, as mooring sites will be more strictly monitored.

The change will bring significant benefits for boaters and the Environment Agency alike we are told, in that some boaters stay considerably longer than the maximum allowed, preventing their fellow boaters from using the moorings for their intended purpose.