War on unlicenced boaters

IT REALLY was war on the Thames as the Environmental Agency together with police officers on two enforcement boats combed the banks of the river for unlicenced boats.

Flanking each side of the river, the patrol boats searched the Thames for boats that were not showing a licence, and when found the agency's officers together with the police boarded the boats, and where possible, searched for documents and licence plates.

Fines of up to £1,000

Those boats that were not registered had a penalty notice stuck on them giving owners 14 days to respond or face Court action and fines of up to £1,000.

Altogether the sweep caught nearly 100 unregistered boats, 65 of them between Teddington Lock and Kingston.

Tough action

This is the first time such tough action has been undertaken by the agency in collaboration with the police, but is a direct result of the success it has been having at prosecuting non-payers, as reported in narrowboatworld, it being the result of the new laws that came into operation in January, simplifying prosecution.

Matt Carter, Environment Agency Waterways Manager warned:

"Owners have been given plenty of time to adapt to the change in law, and we are now taking action to enforce it.

"The laws are clear and consistent and make it harder for people who try to avoid paying the charges. Put simply, everyone with a boat on the river must register it with us."

If only British Waterways put the same effort into the problem.