MP joins demand to have wrecked boats removed from Thames

MP MONICA HARDING has joined the demand to have the wrecked boats removed from the Thames.

There are many wrecked boats and those without licences, moored without permission on the river, Janet Friend reports.

It is so bad that this issue of unauthorised, wrecked and abandoned boats on the river is scheduled to be raised in Parliament by an MP in the future.

Anti-social behavior

Esher and Walton MP Monica Harding has told, overstaying boats cause anti-social behaviour, waste and litter problems, and has called on the Environment Agency to get tougher with the owners and remove the boats.

Speaking to BBC Radio Surrey, Monica Harding stated the situation in the summer was dire as the number of boats had increased from 180 last July to 243 in November, addling:

"Sunken, wrecked and abandoned boats are eyesores that nobody has bothered to deal with. The overstaying boats are unlicensed and unregistered, mooring by the banks for months, sometimes years.

"Some of the boats are illegally being operated as rentals, or have erected fences with keep out and private signs along the public towpath."

Invested heavily

The EA told it had invested heavily in recent enforcement work and where there was a risk to navigation it would continue to take action to remove the boats and seek to recover costs from the owners, with a representative explaining:

"Over recent years there has been an increase in people living on boats and moorings along the Thames. We have asked our partners to work with us to develop a more sustainable and longer-term approach."

This, it is understood, includes additional lawful mooring agreements for residential options.