Tring Summit closure

[valrene9600]

your get your license revoked if your not carefull,insulting a plank of wood,(planks have many uses) frozen in now by the way.how about you

Frozen in where? Just thin ice in Braunston at the moment.

[sheriff]

Frozen in where? Just thin ice in Braunston at the moment.

London.some section have very thin ice, some none...on the section where I am the ice formed late last night.and still around now....some cloud cover and reports of rain later...so I expect that ice to go..by morning.

 

some poeple can sit in a boat for weeks on end happily...would drive me bonkers...after a few days I have to move.....back to Tring ive seen planks before used with serious sheeting around the whole stucture,and a dribble is lucky to get by......up north that is...maybe wrong type of

plank or maybe wrong type of water in canal..or wrong idea in first place...

[LEO]

Hi,

 

Perhaps BW could start pumping from the Weston Turville reservoir (BW owned, just below the Wendover Arm), this is full.

 

The Marsworth flight has now nearly drained down and commorants are having a field day much to the chagrin of Tring Anglers, water will have to be run down to preserve fish stocks.

 

The stop planks are due to be upgraded to a 'Coffer' dam.

 

Water levels good at Cowroast, gates open, pump on, BW have to move some boats about.

 

This situation will not last.

 

BW trying to conserve water for Olympic moorers?, just one suggestion I heard this morning.

 

Leo.

[matty40s]

Hi,

 

 

BW trying to conserve water for Olympic moorers?, just one suggestion I heard this morning.

 

Leo.

 

wasn't aware that Mooring had been added to the Olympics, even as an invitational event.

However, there were certainly some serious contenders up that way!!!

[Proper Job]

wasn't aware that Mooring had been added to the Olympics, even as an invitational event.

However, there were certainly some serious contenders up that way!!!

 

 

[LEO]

wasn't aware that Mooring had been added to the Olympics, even as an invitational event.

However, there were certainly some serious contenders up that way!!!

 

We Brits are desperate to win a Gold at any event, 'mooring' is the new one, and it could be that a gold will be forthcoming - in the team event - BW have been training hard over recent months and expect to pick up a medal - the one for using the shortest, oldest piece of blue rope available. Individual winners could come from the Continuous cruiser brigade for overstaying - who knows, perhaps a Bronze for mooring at water points.

 

All good fun...

 

Leo

[alan_fincher]

The stop planks are due to be upgraded to a 'Coffer' dam.

I think I'm going to give up going and looking at said bridge unless someone gives a glimmer of hope that there might eventually be something to see!

[Guest]

When we get our new boat in 2013 will there be any canals left with water?

 

Yes - moor up our way..

[LEO]

I think I'm going to give up going and looking at said bridge unless someone gives a glimmer of hope that there might eventually be something to see!

I think this idea might work - there has been some communication and input by the lads on the front line and office staff..

 

L.

[sheriff]

I think this idea might work - there has been some communication and input by the lads on the front line and office staff..

 

L.

at last.........hope alan manages to take some pics...jenlyn stopped for a chat today and we both said the levels here have gone down a bit 2inch

Edited January 18, 2012 by sheriff

[MartinClark]

wasn't aware that Mooring had been added to the Olympics, even as an invitational event.

However, there were certainly some serious contenders up that way!!!

 

Would this be the Continuous Mooring event or the Bridge Hopping competition?

[BlueStringPudding]

Is this legal!?

 

BW put a note on my and others' boats who are currently trapped in the Cow Roast pound at the moment. It says if we don't move our boats during a 2 hour slot on Saturday morning, when they'll be opening Cow Roast Lock, they will bill us for winter mooring fees of £10.72 per metre per month, in one single payment, covering mooring till 31st March (2 and a half months of payments - for me that amounts to a sudden and unexpected bill of about £650 - I don't have that kind of money and I'm not at the boat after tonight). If the stoppage lifts before that date they'll refund any overpayment they say.

 

My issues:

1. this stoppage is of their doing not the boaters'

2. they get to keep any interest on our money as we have to pay up will end of March immediately

3. A boater has the right to be away from their boat for 14 days. They posted a notice about the stoppage last Tuesday and this one today. That means feasibly the boater wouldn't have seen it till next Tuesday had they been away from their boat for 14 days. Their letter says failure to move on Saturday will mean automatically being invoiced for the full winter mooring costs despite the fact that any of the boaters up here may not see the letter till 3 days after they close the stoppage down again! How the heck can I move my boat when I'm not here?

4. the notice says boats have to move to the area of lock 49 in Northchurch but i have been told by other boaters that because of the short notice of the stoppage last week, the area is overcrowded, low on water and there are other stoppages, nowhere to moor and dry pounds near Winkwell and beyond. not to mention no water points, elsan etc in the tiny concentration camp of a stretch they think all the boats will have to moor in till the stoppages lift end Feb / end March.

5. Yet again this is ridiculously short notice - and there was no need - why didn't they do it next weekend instead - giving everyone a chance ti have seen the first stoppage notice too? I work full time (so can't get to Northchurch to check the state of the pounds and moorings before they force everyone to move on Saturday morning)

6. I can't commute from Northchurch due to my working hours without significant additional expense, and I've been reliably informed that i will struggle to get through Berko to anywhere closer to London that's safe, due to BW's cock ups meaning pounds are too shallow due to the recent heavy traffic/stoppages

 

 

 

This appears to be, IMHO, incompetance and thievery. I texted someone I know is away from his boat to tell him; and he can't move his boat on Saturday either - he has resigned to being conned into parting with his £600 because he's trapped due to BW's poor planning. It would take me six months to save up that kind of money. I feel a painfully succinct letter coming on to Watchdog or the papers.

 

All it would have taken is two weeks notice of having the locks reopened so we could all plan to move properly - but BW know that if they give us adequate chance to move they lose out on all those forced winter mooring fees. Income targets to meet before the end of the financial year, BW?

Edited January 19, 2012 by BlueStringPudding

[sueb]

This is when it is good to belong to a user group such as NABO or RBOA as they can sort out BW on your behalf.

Sue

Edited January 19, 2012 by sueb

[alan_fincher]

Lisa,

 

Can't help over the legality of the Cow Roast threat, but from what I have seen South of Northchurch Lock (the point it is closed at), water levels are generally OK down through Berkhamsted itself.

 

Boats are certainly moving. The "Waitrose" pound is by no means full, although quite a bit of that says it is allocated to Winter moorings, (so I don't know what BW attitude is about other boats trying to use it).

 

There's a water point, (in that pound), but no Elsan in Berkhamsted. (..... Take a large "shopping trolley" into Waitrose loos ?? ).

 

Obviously they are trying to hit you with a large amount at Cow Roast, but if it is for two and a half months, I'm not quite sure how you get to £650. Even for 20 metres, (which I doubt you are quite, are you?), I make it more like 20 x 2.5 x £10.72, so about £536? (There's not VAT on top of that £10.72 is there ?). Obviously still a lot, for a bit of muddy tow-path though!

 

If I'm dog walking in Berko tomorrow, (not sure yet), I'll report back on current levels.

[BlueStringPudding]

If it;s not illegal what BW are doing... would they consider payment in installments, i wonder? Even the leccy companies etc do that if there's an underpayment!

 

You can't expect a liveaboard to come up with £500 or more with one and a half days notice

 

 

Obviously they are trying to hit you with a large amount at Cow Roast, but if it is for two and a half months, I'm not quite sure how you get to £650. Even for 20 metres, (which I doubt you are quite, are you?), I make it more like 20 x 2.5 x £10.72, so about £536? (There's not VAT on top of that £10.72 is there ?). Obviously still a lot, for a bit of muddy tow-path though!

 

 

19.8m long, Alan, so near enough 20m

 

Admittedly I multiplied up my sums wrong though, so you're right it's a bill of five hundred and something pounds for a waterlogged puddle I can't stand up in (called a towpath). And I still can't afford it. If I put it on a credit card, if I have a credit card that will let me, there'll be 20% interest plus I won't be able to afford my insurance in the spring. Not sure which BW would prefer - no insurance and therefore no license next year; or no trumped up (!) mooring fee.

 

BW know they are conning boaters and the legality of it has to be in question. They also know CCers aren't wealthy. If I wanted to pay for a winter mooring I'd find one that was dredged and had a path that was not a H&S hazard. What's their motivation if not to do their best to meet income targets before the end of teh financial year so they're more likely to keep their jobs when the transition to charity happens? Discuss.

[jenlyn]

If it;s not illegal what BW are doing... would they consider payment in installments, i wonder? Even the leccy companies etc do that if there's an underpayment!

 

You can't expect a liveaboard to come up with £500 or more with one and a half days notice

 

 

 

19.8m long, Alan, so near enough 20m

 

Admittedly I multiplied up my sums wrong though, so you're right it's a bill of five hundred and something pounds for a waterlogged puddle I can't stand up in (called a towpath). And I still can't afford it. If I put it on a credit card, if I have a credit card that will let me, there'll be 20% interest plus I won't be able to afford my insurance in the spring. Not sure which BW would prefer - no insurance and therefore no license next year; or no trumped up (!) mooring fee.

 

BW know they are conning boaters and the legality of it has to be in question. They also know CCers aren't wealthy. If I wanted to pay for a winter mooring I'd find one that was dredged and had a path that was not a H&S hazard. What's their motivation if not to do their best to meet income targets before the end of teh financial year so they're more likely to keep their jobs when the transition to charity happens? Discuss.

You could easily argue the toss, if I were in your shoes, I would take them on, a letter stating how the situation came into being, with no official notice sent to you. Your contacting local MP and also taking legal advice. Until you have advice you will be sitting tight in their cock up.

[alan_fincher]

Don't get me wrong - I'm sympathetic - particularly as they shut the canal, and I remain unconvinced that the closure is actually saving any significant water yet!

 

The powers they have are always a subject of debate anyway, but I think they are probably on very sticky ground if they have only presented you with a very small window of opportunity to move at very short notice.

 

The odd thing, of course, is it's not like they are going to let the space to anyone else now is it ? (!) So they can't claim to be moving you on for the benefit of anybody else.

 

Unless something has changed since I walked that stretch a few days ago, (which seems unlikely unless more people have given up places in the marina for the tow-path!), then it has probably not been as under occupied in months, anyway, has it ?

 

But are you simply not in a position to come out, and take your chances further South ? I think that's what I would do, rather than fighting a battle over in excess of £500, (and a batttle which I guess you might not be guaranteed to win.)

[jenlyn]

This whole situation with tring is turning into a pathetic, disgusting, mismanaged disaster. What was it a while back? BW couldn't organise a p'ss up in a brewery!

[BlueStringPudding]

 

 

But are you simply not in a position to come out, and take your chances further South ? I think that's what I would do, rather than fighting a battle over in excess of £500, (and a batttle which I guess you might not be guaranteed to win.)

 

I'm not even going to be in the county on Saturday. How can I?

[jenlyn]

I'm not even going to be in the county on Saturday. How can I?

Can you scan the note and email it to me BSP?

 

Evidently, if the mooring was not listed or sign posted as a winter mooring, they can't charge you

[BlueStringPudding]

I don't have that kinda tech, sorry.

 

Thanks for bearing with me - had to type it out:

 

 

19th January 2012

 

Dear Customer,

 

Further to our letter drop last week, this is to let you know that there will be a small window of opportunity for continuous cruisers currently stranded on the Tring summit to leave the pound to the south this coming Saturday morning (only), 21st January. This will allow you to continue your cruise as required by the conditions of your boat's licence. If you wish to remain at Tring summit level until the waterway reopens, you may do so providing you purchase a mooring permit. This will be priced at the same rate as winter moorings in the ara - £10.74 per metre per month.

 

If you choose to leave the pound, the lock with reopen at 10am on Saturday, and boats will be expected to lock through in pairs, and continue through to beyond lock 49 (Northchurch) because of the winter works stoppage starting next week.

 

Please would you call or email me on XXX, XXX@britishwaterways.co.uk as soon as possible to confirm which of these two options you intend to take. If you decide to remain in the length we will prepare to issue you with an invoice and permit to remain on tehe Summit until 31st March. if the canal reopens before this date and you move on, we will refund pro rate the unsued portion of the permit.

 

Thank you for your cooperation.

 

XXX

Enforcement Officer

 

Edited January 19, 2012 by BlueStringPudding

[Water Rat.]

The water levels at Winkwell were fine the other day and there was loads of space to moor. Perhaps just a polite chat with someone from BW asking for an alternative time to be arranged might be possible? I certainly would not like to be presented with a huge bill like that but guess they are trying to stop people from taking advantage of the situation by not moving after 14 days. I wonder why they allowed anyone to stay there when they were going to give them a big bill. This should have been explained at the start of this situation, thus giving everyone a reasonable chance to get out last week. I had thought most boats that did not have a permenant mooring or were not paying had moved out of the closed area?

Edited January 19, 2012 by Water Rat.

[BlueStringPudding]

Reasonable notice (eg. at least a fortnight ideally three weeks) would have been best. That way all moorers are guarranteed to have been able to see the notice and rearrange other commitments. They wedged the window in between the other stoppages between Tring and Berkhamsted and fined the boaters for not being able to respond in time. I don't believe that is reasonable

[BlueStringPudding]

I had thought most boats that did not have a permenant mooring or were not paying had moved out of the closed area?

 

I was in North Wales for half of last week - got back Sunday night to find the stoppage in place. Judging by the very precarious angle another boat is moored at not far from me, that owner also didn't know about it and the levels at Cow Roast have dropped enough to ground him on a ledge or something now.

 

I wonder why they allowed anyone to stay there when they were going to give them a big bill.

 

Perhaps they hadn't thought of billing stranded boaters then

[matty40s]

I go back to BW's first e-mail...8th Jan

 

The above section will be CLOSED to through traffic and moored boats* from Wed 11th Jan

until further notice

Reduced operating levels (300mm min) will not allow boats to safely moor or navigate the sectionA short section at Cowroast will be contained at normal levels through the implementation of

stop planks (between Lock 46 and New ground bridge, no. X). This will afford stability (although

immobility for moorers at Cowroast long term site and the marina)

The 2 locks (Lock 39 & 49) will be locked throughout, as others may be within the affected area

to avoid losses through misuse.

 

no mention of a suggested get out window......

so you abandon your boat until further notice, and can't be expected to turn up at the drop of a window message.....