Riverwatch: Ignoring red boards could even be fatal

Jan 26 2010 By Mort Smith, Surrey Herald

A COUPLE of weeks ago, I wrote in this column about the rowing four which wrapped itself around one of the stanchions below Walton Bridge and was quickly turned into matchwood by the fast-flowing stream.

I commented at the time that the rowers who escaped from the water by climbing up the bridge support were extremely fortunate not to have drowned in the freezing waters of the Thames. I questioned the sense of allowing a crew to take to the water (a) when the river was clearly in flood, flowing extremely fast and very cold, (b) without a safety boat to aid them if they got into trouble and (c) when the Environment Agency had put its red boards out on all the locks in our part of the Thames, telling people that the river was in a dangerous state and that people should not attempt to navigate on it until the flood had subsided.

This week, I'm told by a regular correspondent that a second accident has occurred - this time at Molesey Weir - where a rowing eight ended up jammed against the ironwork and, again, the crew had to hastily abandon ship or risk being swept over the weir.

The same gentleman tells me that just hours later he saw two fours - apparently full of schoolboys from a well-known local private school - heading off up the river past Port Hampton.

These lads did, at least, have a safety boat with them, but that's ignoring the fundamental point - after all the snow and heavy rain we've experienced, the river was just too dangerous for navigation and sooner or later, someone is going to pay the ultimate price for ignoring that danger.

Yes, I know, it's extremely frustrating if you're a crew which simply wants to get out and practice, but spare a thought for the emergency services who may have to risk their lives fishing you out of the Thames.

I wondered what the Environment Agency's view on the situation was, so I spoke to Andrew Graham, the Environment Agency's waterways operations manager, who had this to say: "Snowmelt combined with recent rainfall has resulted in difficult conditions on the River Thames. Boaters are advised of current weather conditions by the display of a coloured board at our locks.

"Currently there are red boards in place along the River Thames, which warn boaters not to navigate the river because the strong flows make boating difficult and dangerous.

"The Environment Agency cannot prevent people from using the river in strong stream conditions, only advise - but this advice is dispensed with our expert judgement and experience and we hope people have the common sense to consider this before undertaking any river activities.

" As well as our lockside boards, people can access our current advice on the river conditions by going to the visit-thames website - www.visitthames.co.uk/riverconditions. You can also sign up our email and RSS service if you would like to receive updates."