Antisocial boaters spoil it for the well behaved
Published: Tuesday, 12 February 2019
RESIDENT boaters moored on the Thames for years without paying mooring fees look like being moved on.
The boaters and local home owners are at loggerheads due to the noise created by some of the more recent boaters, Alan Tilbury reports.
Private land
There are 10 resident boats moored by private land on the Thames at West Molesey so do not pay either mooring fees or council rates.
Some of the residents have been there for 13 years with no action from Environment Agency, but recently a group of somewhat antisocial boaters have joined the group upsetting local residents, drinking, shouting and having dogs running loose
.
Complaints to the authorities
These have spoilt it for the established residents by having prompted complaints to the authorities about their antisocial behaviour.
A local woman told that the permanent group were her neighbours who have a community who look after each other, but have all been 'tarred by the same brush' by the noisy newcomers.
The result is that the Environment Agency has become involved, first moving abandoned boats that were left in the area and now using its powers as the navigation authority of the Thames having applied to the land registry for the rights to the land at which they are moored, so that it will be able to disband the community and so have the boats moved on.
Fighting back
However the residents are fighting back and, claiming to have all the valid relevant registration certificates, are fighting to have the land registered to them, fearing of course, eviction.
They are hoping to secure the land around the bank, installing posts and gates at the recommendation of a squatters’ advisory service, with the intention of gaining rights to the land.