More unlicenced boaters fined

THE Environment Agency is continuing its purge to clear its waters of unlicenced boats, with more boaters taken to court.

Four boaters with unlicenced boats on the River Great Ouse have been fined by Huntingdon magistrates, this time the boats being in marinas, Alan Tilbury tells us.

Fines and costs

Tim Cave was fined £500 and ordered to pay costs of £115 for failing to licence his boat Star Light at Priory Marina. At River Mill Marina three men were taken to court. Ian Walker  was fined £350, with costs of £115 for not licensing Gulliver II. James Hale was fined for not licensing The Hobbit, and was fined £125 plus £115 costs.

Ian Megahy was fined £125 and ordered to pay costs of £115 for failing to licence Diamond Geezer at Daylock Marina in Wyton.

Nathan Arnold, of the Environment Agency stated:

"My team was determined to stamp out problems associated with unregistered craft on the river."

In agreement

Bob Wells, Chairman of the Great Ouse Boating Association, agreed:

"This is another form of tax evasion and we are absolutely in favour of the Environment Agency cracking down on this problem. When people don't pay, the registration fee goes up for the rest of the users of the river, which is obviously not fair."

Many  boaters believe the same about the many unlicenced boats under British Waterways jurisdiction, and that it should take the same sort of action as the Environment Agency.