Environment Agency keeps up the pressure on unregistered boats
THERE IS little doubt that the Environment Agency is keeping up the pressure on unregistered boats on the Thames.
In the past weeks it has collected £55,000 in fines by boaters with unregistered vessels along the river, Janet Friend reports.
Taken to court
Boaters were taken to court and had the additional expence of not only paying their dues but court costs on top after being discovered unregistered around Hounslow, Teddington, Surbiton and Twickenham that were among 40 caught out by enforcement officers.
The agency told it discovered unacceptably high levels of registration evasion having now discovered over 100 boats in the marinas being unregistered, adding:
"Every boat owner was traced and given ample warning and opportunity to register their boats correctly."
The highest costs were issued to Jess Rugeris for his boat Le Petit II—a total of £3,371 including fines, costs, compensation and victim surcharge.
Patrolling all winter
Colin Chiverton, environment manager at the Environment Agency in Surrey, warned:
"If you have an unregistered boat on the Thames, you should know that our enforcement teams remain out all winter patrolling the river, checking valid registrations and taking action against those who cheat their fellow boaters..
"As our recent prosecutions clearly demonstrate, we will have no hesitation in bringing further offenders to court who avoid their obligations and responsibilities to lawful river users."
Perhaps should Canal & River Trust take such an active attitude on its many unlicenced boats, it would not be in such a dire financial situation—Editor.