News detail

Boat campaign afloat

- 06-May-2005
The campaign to clear the Brentford stretch of the Thames continues, despite the contention over whose responsibility it is to move the dilapidated boats.

The foreshore from Waterman's Park to Kew Bridge remains littered with the skeletons of broken down and abandoned boats, which not only spoil the river's aesthetics but also cause a navigational hazard to other water users.

As yet neither the Port of London Authority nor Hounslow Borough Council have staked their claim on the clean-up duty.

However, the problem of finding out who is responsible is not clear cut and there are other factors that need to be taken in to account.

Tony Hutchinson, chair of the Brentford Waterside Forum explained: "The problem with the management of the waterside is essentially that there are layers of responsibility and doing anything is costly.

"It becomes a question of whether the outcomes achieved are value for money in a time when budgets are constrained and staff resources limited.

"Also in the absence of legitimate mooring for the occupied boats, forcing them to move does not help in the medium term."

Anyone who does venture into removing the old boats may come across further problems.

"Management of the waterside in Brentford is complex; hydrologically with the canal and the Brent, the creeks and inlets; and spatially in respect of the differing needs of businesses, residents on or close to the water, travelling craft and leisure users of the edges. There are issues of archaeology and ecology too," said Tony.

He continued: "The role of the Brentford Waterside Forum has been to act as a focus for these diverse interests and provide measured, considered input to decision making affecting the waterside.

"We are distinct from the resident led organisations in that we are both firmly apolitical and seek to deal impartially with issues on their merits as they affect our sphere of interest.

"Whilst we wish to see, for example, the river front at Waterman's Park improved to complement the investment by Hounslow, the BRP and now CIP, we want this to be considered and strategic to ensure that overall the quality of the waterside is improved."

The main responsibility for cleaning up the river would appear to lie with the PLA, however, Hounslow Council may also have responsibility due to licensing issues over the pilings that the boats would have been tied to.

Cllr Ron Bartholomew, Syon ward, has been particularly active in maintaining the river's amenities - holding the council's environmental portfolio and sitting on the Thames Landscape Strategy Steering Group.

Cllr Bartholomew added that he and the council would like to see new moorings put in place on the river in order to increase safety at the park and on the Thames.

He said: "I have personally been trying to secure moorings along Waterman's Park since before the park existed and was responsible for organising the volunteers who lowered the gasworks' wall a quarter of a century ago.

Referring to the efforts of the 250 volunteers who removed seven and a half tonnes of rubbish from the Thames at Brentford two weeks ago, he added: " I have been very pleased with the clear-up that's taken place and perhaps that will be useful for us in spurring PLA on to remove the old wrecks. I welcome the Times' efforts to run a campaign to get this sorted out."

Source: Sally Henfield, Brentford Chiswick & Isleworth Times

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