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Coming to a lock near you ..........................


Alan de Enfield

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Smart Card Roll-Out

Waterways Ireland is extending the Smart Card system to include lock passages on the River Shannon and Lower Bann. The service will be tested from a technical perspective at Albert Lock on the Shannon and the Cutts Lock on the Lower Bann for a two week period beginning on the 16th of April 2018.  Following the technical test period and depending on the learnings taken from it, Waterways Ireland will then begin the roll out of Smart Card usage at all locks and lifting bridges on both the Shannon and Lower Bann. Marine Notice 15/2018 has been issued to this effect.

 

The Smart Card is already in use along the Shannon for numerous services including showers, toilets, pump-outs and electricity and on the Shannon-Erne Waterway for lock passages. The extension of the service to include lock passages will mean a one-stop-shop for waterway customers for all waterway services. The customer provides their Smart Card to the Lock-keeper to insert into a reader which deducts the units for the lock passage. The lock-keeper will then operate the lock as usual.

The pilot at Albert Lock will run from the 16th – the 30th April 2018 and boats will have the following payment options – use their existing Smart Card, pay in cash or purchase a Smart Card. Many boaters already have Smart Cards as they use them to purchase other services along the Shannon. Hire boat companies already provide the Smart Cards to their customers.  Boaters can buy Smart Cards from local retailers or order online– the list of retailers is available from www.shopwaterwaysireland.org.

 

The remaining Shannon locks and bridges will accept payment by smart card and cash from the 1st May until the end of June 2018. From the 1st July – 30th September 2018 boaters presenting with case will be able to buy a smart card from the Lockkeeper. From 1st October payment will be by Smart Card only and the boater will need to have a valid card on board. Where bridge lifting is required at Tarmonbarry and Rooskey, a combined toll payments for the lock and bridge will be taken at the Lock.

The cost of the lock passage on the Shannon will remain the same and will take two units from the smart card. The cost of the lock passage on the Lower Bann will be 1 unit. The lock passage on the Shannon-Erne Waterway will remain at 1 unit. The 10 unit card cost €6.35/£5.55 and the 20 unit card €12.70/£11.10.

 

https://www.waterwaysireland.org/smart-card-roll-out

 

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If I recall correctly the smart card was per lock operation so if several boats go through at once (and they're big locks) only one paid?

ETA - the Cutts seems a curious choice of trial as it's the lowest lock and leads to tidal water - I've never seen a boat go through a lock on the Bann, and I can't imagine that many use this lock, but perhaps small boats need to get off the tideway?

Edited by magpie patrick
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24 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

A potential money spinner for C&RT at £1 per lock movement.

£5.55 for a 10 unit card isn't quite £1 a lock, however, I am now planning a move to the Ashby so I can get maximum distance for minimum cost☺

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IIRC many of the Irish locks are automated, so the user only has to press buttons to operate them.

I suspect the initial capital cost to convert all of the mainland locks will deter CRT from doing this for a while.

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8 minutes ago, cuthound said:

IIRC many of the Irish locks are automated, so the user only has to press buttons to operate them.

I suspect the initial capital cost to convert all of the mainland locks will deter CRT from doing this for a while.

When doing the Aire and Calder last summer, the chap we were boating with asked CRT (via twitter) to install the electric gate mechanisms on Wigan flight before we got back round.

They said they would put it to their works planning department, but we are not holding our breath!

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On 18/04/2018 at 18:03, john6767 said:

But why would anyone be introducing their own smart card system now, when everyone is carrying multiple contactless debit/credit cards.

Because if you have not paid your license (or are in some other breach of regulations - eg: CCing) your card can be deactivated.

 

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Back in the late 1980's a friend of mine took his beautifully converted admirals barge Kalavala (2 x 6 cylinder Gardners) across from Scotland to Ireland to explore the River Bann and Lough Neagh.

He had a RIB tender with a  30 horsepower outboard on the back of the cabin, with a hydraulic hoist. At the time the river navigation was beautifully maintained but very rarely used, tourist traffic being almost non existent because of the troubles.

His sons had the tender in water as they approached the sea lock. The lock keeper looked at the boats and made out the documentation for the visitors licences. He insisted on charging for two boats for the fortnight that they planned to be on the navigation. My friend was outraged and argued with the lock keeper for about half an hour, insisting that the RIB was a tender and should not be charged for, even going to the extent of hoisting it inboard to make his point.

The lock keeper would not be moved. Eventually my friend gave up on the argument and asked how much he was going to have to pay.

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"That will be a pound - 50p for each boat for the fortnight" said the lock keeper...

Edited by billS
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2 hours ago, WJM said:

Because if you have not paid your license (or are in some other breach of regulations - eg: CCing) your card can be deactivated.

 

Don't see that there needs to be a connection with the payment method to do that

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8 minutes ago, john6767 said:

Don't see that there needs to be a connection with the payment method to do that

It is a very effective way of managing licensing or compliance. Only a step away from 'wheel clamping' but all done remotely with minimal cost. The navigation authority cannot selectively reject contactless payment cards but they can deactivate their own Smartcards.

 

Edited by WJM
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1 hour ago, WJM said:

It is a very effective way of managing licensing or compliance. Only a step away from 'wheel clamping' but all done remotely with minimal cost. The navigation authority cannot selectively reject contactless payment cards but they can deactivate their own Smartcards.

 

Indeed, and if the Navigation Authority keep records of SMART Card use, they will know which pound you are in, making collection of outstanding fees easier. 

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10 minutes ago, cuthound said:

Indeed, and if the Navigation Authority keep records of SMART Card use, they will know which pound you are in, making collection of outstanding fees easier. 

Unless (as per post #2) you can share a lock and only use the one card.

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