Is this the image of Hampton Court we want? Samantha Laurie asks why the riverside is such a mess...
Few issues have caused as much upset locally as the string of sunken and illegally moored boats strewn along the riverbank from the Palace to Sunbury Lock.
There are now around 240 overstaying boats permanently moored in 24-hour mooring zones on the Elmbridge bank, including 90 sunken or abandoned vessels.
Residents complain of fly-tipping, river pollution, aggressive behaviour and the loss of legitimate mooring rights and access to the river. Along some parts of the riverbank, boat owners have partitioned off sections of public riverside land, putting up fences with Private and Keep Out signage.
Peter Aron, Chair of Molesey Riverside Action Group (MRAG), explains why the problem has escalated:
Sam Laurie
Who is responsible for policing these boats?
The Environment Agency has overall responsibility for enforcing mooring regulations. Most of the Elmbridge
bank is owned by the EA, with Elmbridge Borough Council and Surrey County Council owning only small stretches. EBC and SCC’s contractor cannot carry out enforcement on their own land, as the EA has failed in its statutory duty to register boats, so their ownership is unknown.
Does the EA own the Elmbridge riverbed itself?
Yes, it owns the riverbed from Teddington Lock to Staines and states that it has all the powers it needs to move boats on. However, over the years, ineffective enforcement has allowed the problem to grow to the extent that the EA claims it has insufficient funds to pursue prosecutions. At the same time, however, its failure to register boats or to impose mooring fees or fines deprives it of much-needed income.
What have Kingston and Richmond done to deal with the issue?
Unlike Elmbridge, both Kingston and Richmond councils own all their own riverside land. Ten years ago, they introduced bylaws and mooring regulations to move the boats on and outsourced enforcement to a private company which patrols the riverbanks, issuing fees and fines for overstayers.
Is Molesey suffering because of better policing by neighbouring boroughs?
Yes, definitely. When Richmond and Kingston introduced bylaws and mooring regulations, there was an influx of boats to the Elmbridge bank where they could overstay more or less indefinitely. This influx has continued ever since and is still growing – the number has doubled since November 2022.
Could the EA lease its land to EBC?
Yes, this is MRAG’s preferred solution. EBC has expressed concerns about potential costs, but MRAG believes that existing policies could cover public liability insurance costs for parks and open spaces.
With regard to maintenance, EA has carried out next to nothing over the past 10 years, and residents are likely to be content for this ‘benign neglect’ to continue. Enforcement costs could be kept to a minimum if, like Richmond and Kingston, EBC continues to outsource enforcement on a cost-neutral contract.
Sam Laurie
What action has Esher & Walton MP Monica Harding taken?
One of Monica’s first actions following her election was to write to Philip Duffy, EA’s Chief Executive, to request a meeting with him. This has yet to happen.
On April 29, however, Monica secured a debate in Parliament on overstaying boats during which the Environment Secretary, Emma Harding MP, was required to respond. It’s now for the EA to respond on how it plans to remove the sunken vessels.
How many boats has the EA succeeded in moving on to date?
Three boats in September 2024 (including the two large ‘slum boats’ Hui and RoR) and a further six in March of this year. At that rat,e it would take 14 years to remove all 243 vessels currently moored. In reality, the trickle of removals would be dwarfed by a flood of new arrivals.
Who pays for the removal of sunken boats?
If they had been registered, the owners would have paid. However, the EA’s failure to register boats means that taxpayers will bear the cost. The EA’s quote for removing these boats amounts to approximately £950,000, and it has stated that it has no funds available for the purpose.
Why have some boat owners been allowed to claim land and erect fences on the riverbank?
The land they have fenced off is currently unregistered. The EA and Thames Water application to register it is still awaiting Land Registry approval. Unauthorised overstaying boat owners took advantage of the situation to attempt to acquire ownership of this public riverside land.
But since their first application to EBC was rejected in 2020, the Planning Inspectorate and Courts have rejected their appeals. They are currently awaiting the outcome of a further appeal and of a separate, but related, court case due to be heard in July.
Can residents object on the grounds that they have lost use of the riverbank?
If local residents wish to register their objections to their ongoing loss of access to public riverside land due to overstaying boats, they should send them to the EA’s CEO (philip.duffy@environment-agency.gov.uk), copied to Monica Harding (monica.harding.mp@parliament.uk)
n For more info, email Peter Aron on mragchair@gmail.com
