92 replies to this topic

[Water Chariots]

I had a long conversation with a Haringey Councillor over the weekend. He was willing to listen and hopfully we will have some answers. In reply to Water Chariots - money was spent by Haringey on your landing stage. It wasn't 'given' to you. I am trying to find out how much.

I have not got a clue how much Haringey spent on the Landing stage, The landing stage is not exclusively for the use of Water Chariots as far as we are aware it can be used by any commercial operator.

[Water Chariots]

Considering what has been said throughout these merged threads I am very very surprised that Water Chariots have had minimal comments to make. Only to deny receiving money directly. Yeah right, choose your words Mr Chariot.

What an absolute shambles.

LB, I do hope you can get to the bottom of all this AND get funding transferred back to the Canoe Centre.

I, as others, could see the Water Chariots scheme being a big white elephant.

Martyn

Ask the questions and we will give strait answers, we have nothing to hide.

We have received no funding from anywhere other than private investment.

It is a shame that much of the good work done by us seems to be over looked, instead we get stick over issues that are nothing to do with us.

WC have employed over 50 people and are funding a training program to qualify as many of them as possible to Boat Master level. The majority of our team are made up of local people and ex service men and women.

Our barges are British built and contrary to popular belief they are paid for.

We have organised many days out for local schools,charities & community centers.

Our boats are fitted with wheelchair lifts and disabled toilets to make the waterways more accessible to all.

Our service is completely free to wheelchair users.

Post Olympics we will be operating a scheduled service along the River Lee that will be affordable to all.

[Tuscan]

This seems a reasonable response. Let's hope that both the trips and the canoe centre can be accommodated

[Nightwatch]

This seems a reasonable response. Let's hope that both the trips and the canoe centre can be accommodated

I agree.

Martyn

[Cosmic]

Ask the questions and we will give strait answers, we have nothing to hide.

We have received no funding from anywhere other than private investment.

It is a shame that much of the good work done by us seems to be over looked, instead we get stick over issues that are nothing to do with us.

WC have employed over 50 people and are funding a training program to qualify as many of them as possible to Boat Master level. The majority of our team are made up of local people and ex service men and women.

Our barges are British built and contrary to popular belief they are paid for.

We have organised many days out for local schools,charities & community centers.

Our boats are fitted with wheelchair lifts and disabled toilets to make the waterways more accessible to all.

Our service is completely free to wheelchair users.

Post Olympics we will be operating a scheduled service along the River Lee that will be affordable to all.

I don't think anybody is complaining about Water Chariots per se (some late night speeding incidents aside ). Our concern is with the public money that has been diverted from community projects into something that would appear to be of negligible benefit to the community.

We were told by BW, for example, that they would be providing disabled access at Tottenham Hale, and yet your website says that there is no wheelchair access from there (somewhat ironic as the Paralympics approach). I was also told by a Haringey councillor that there would be moorings created for visitors wanting to use the nearby retail park. This also hasn't happened (not that anybody would want it).

Local people were not consulted on any of this. Funds were diverted away from desperately needed facilities at Stonebridge that could have benefited the whole community and used on a project that only seems to be of use to Water Chariots. Since those facilities closed, the crime rate has soared. It appears that this is the legacy of the Olympics for people in Stonebridge; that is why people are angry.

[Tuscan]

I don't think anybody is complaining about Water Chariots per se (some late night speeding incidents aside ). Our concern is with the public money that has been diverted from community projects into something that would appear to be of negligible benefit to the community.

We were told by BW, for example, that they would be providing disabled access at Tottenham Hale, and yet your website says that there is no wheelchair access from there (somewhat ironic as the Paralympics approach). I was also told by a Haringey councillor that there would be moorings created for visitors wanting to use the nearby retail park. This also hasn't happened (not that anybody would want it).

Local people were not consulted on any of this. Funds were diverted away from desperately needed facilities at Stonebridge that could have benefited the whole community and used on a project that only seems to be of use to Water Chariots. Since those facilities closed, the crime rate has soared. It appears that this is the legacy of the Olympics for people in Stonebridge; that is why people are angry.

Looks like you have every right to be angry but that this anger needs to be directed at either the Council or CRT

[Lady Muck]

Looks like you have every right to be angry but that this anger needs to be directed at either the Council or CRT

It has been.

@Cosmic - I was told by the councillor I spoke to on Sunday, that the reason there is no disabled access at Tottenham is because of the drop into the water there, it's just too much of a risk. There have afaicr been two drownings there, once someone is in the water it's nigh on impossible to get them out. You cannot reach them from the bankside.

I am still baffled as to why we think a lock landing is a great place for a landing stage for a trip boat.

Edited by Lady Muck, 22 August 2012 - 09:17 AM.

[ditchcrawler]

Ask the questions and we will give strait answers, we have nothing to hide.

We have received no funding from anywhere other than private investment.

It is a shame that much of the good work done by us seems to be over looked, instead we get stick over issues that are nothing to do with us.

WC have employed over 50 people and are funding a training program to qualify as many of them as possible to Boat Master level. The majority of our team are made up of local people and ex service men and women.

Our barges are British built and contrary to popular belief they are paid for.

We have organised many days out for local schools,charities & community centers.

Our boats are fitted with wheelchair lifts and disabled toilets to make the waterways more accessible to all.

Our service is completely free to wheelchair users.

Post Olympics we will be operating a scheduled service along the River Lee that will be affordable to all.

Good for you with coming back with a straight reply, like others I hope everyone can be accommodated and that there will still be funding for the canoes. We have seen them pushed off from the North Oxford due to commercial enterprises taking the facilities and it's a good way for youngsters to get their first taste of boating.

[Water Chariots]

I don't think anybody is complaining about Water Chariots per se (some late night speeding incidents aside ). Our concern is with the public money that has been diverted from community projects into something that would appear to be of negligible benefit to the community.

We were told by BW, for example, that they would be providing disabled access at Tottenham Hale, and yet your website says that there is no wheelchair access from there (somewhat ironic as the Paralympics approach). I was also told by a Haringey councillor that there would be moorings created for visitors wanting to use the nearby retail park. This also hasn't happened (not that anybody would want it).

Local people were not consulted on any of this. Funds were diverted away from desperately needed facilities at Stonebridge that could have benefited the whole community and used on a project that only seems to be of use to Water Chariots. Since those facilities closed, the crime rate has soared. It appears that this is the legacy of the Olympics for people in Stonebridge; that is why people are angry.

I don't think Ferry Lane Primary School would agree that the landing at Tottenham Hale is "of negligible benefit to the community". Please take the time to view the following link and make sure you read the comments from the children at the bottom http://leadership.fe...water-chariots/ This trip and the many others we have planned with local schools would not be possible without the new waterbus stop. these trips are not paid for by grants,donations or lottery money they are paid for by Water Chariots.

Still think it was a waste of money? I will let you tell the children of Ferry Lane School that the trip planned for later this year around the Olympic Park will be canceled.

[RLWP]

'Stop it or I'll shoot this kitten'



Richard

[Lady Muck]

I don't think Ferry Lane Primary School would agree that the landing at Tottenham Hale is "of negligible benefit to the community". Please take the time to view the following link and make sure you read the comments from the children at the bottom http://leadership.fe...water-chariots/ This trip and the many others we have planned with local schools would not be possible without the new waterbus stop. these trips are not paid for by grants,donations or lottery money they are paid for by Water Chariots.

Still think it was a waste of money? I will let you tell the children of Ferry Lane School that the trip planned for later this year around the Olympic Park will be canceled.

I can understand you are annoyed with what you see as negative publicity, but as Cosmic says we are annoyed too, but not with you. Ok maybe a teeny bit annoyed at the original £45 ticket price.

When you picked the school kids up from Ferry Lane you used the towpath side, I know because I was walking past with my dog at the time.

This dispute is not about you, it is about what we see as misappropriation of public money for bankside work that we feel was not necessary, was meant for other local boating projects, was done without consultation or planning and is obstructing a lock mooring.

Infact it was so unneccesary, you didn't need the landing stage when you took the kids out. It hadn't been built.

This picture from your link shows it clearly. My link

Not my idea, probably not your idea. Would love to know whose idea it was and how much was spent on it.
ETA

I'm gonna shut up now, I'm sounding like a broken record over this and whinging on a bulletin board isn't going to get me anywhere is it?

Edited by Lady Muck, 22 August 2012 - 03:56 PM.

[PiRSqwared]

When you picked the school kids up from Ferry Lane you used the towpath side, I know because I was walking past with my dog at the time.



Infact it was so unneccesary, you didn't need the landing stage when you took the kids out. It hadn't been built.

This picture from your link shows it clearly. My link

Oh dear, looks like Muck trumps spin.

[jenlyn]

This picture from your link shows it clearly. My link

Am not sure I would want to plod up and down the lea with that thumping great target painted on my boat! What if one of those missile launcher types get bored?

[mayalld]

I don't think Ferry Lane Primary School would agree that the landing at Tottenham Hale is "of negligible benefit to the community". Please take the time to view the following link and make sure you read the comments from the children at the bottom http://leadership.fe...water-chariots/ This trip and the many others we have planned with local schools would not be possible without the new waterbus stop. these trips are not paid for by grants,donations or lottery money they are paid for by Water Chariots.

Still think it was a waste of money? I will let you tell the children of Ferry Lane School that the trip planned for later this year around the Olympic Park will be canceled.

You appear to be applying a good deal of spin.

It is true that you haven't been given public money, but it is equally true that public money has been spent on a facility that is primarily of use to you as a commercial concern.

You claim that there is benefit to the community, but for how long? Public money was diverted from a project that would have benefited these children over the years to come, when you aren't there. Sure they enjoyed their trip, but when they are teenagers, you won't be giving them trips, and there won't be the canoeing facility. Public money that could have provided for the long term squandered, and a few freebies that will be forgotten in a couple of years.

[Phoenix_V]

Post Olympics we will be operating a scheduled service along the River Lee that will be affordable to all.

OMG I thought at least as part of the "legacy" we would have a safer lock landing stage, but it seems this is gone for ever.
perhaps the HSE ought to look at this.

[PiRSqwared]

Will the "affordable to all" trips be means tested?

[PiRSqwared]

So are WC on target for their predicted 200 000 passengers over the Limpick/Paralimpick period?

Btw it's the Lee Navigation, not the Lea Navigation whoever wrote their website.

Edited by PiRSqwared, 24 August 2012 - 10:08 PM.

[PiRSqwared]

Seems the wheels have fallen off

http://www.water-chariots.co.uk/

[steven wilkinson]

So are WC on target for their predicted 200 000 passengers over the Limpick/Paralimpick period?

Btw it's the Lee Navigation, not the Lea Navigation whoever wrote their website.

I think that's a NO!

[PiRSqwared]

I think that's a NO!

I think you might be right. It would be interesting to find out what has happened.