Non-Tidal waterways operational annual report

1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018

Keeping boating customers informed about our business and performance.

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We are the Environment Agency. We protect and improve the environment. We help people and wildlife adapt to climate change and reduce its impacts, including flooding, drought, sea level rise and coastal erosion. We improve the quality of our water, land and air by tackling pollution. We work with businesses to help them comply with environmental regulations. A healthy and diverse environment enhances people's lives and contributes to economic growth. We can’t do this alone. We work as part of the Defra group (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs), with the rest of government, local councils, businesses, civil society groups and local communities to create a better place for people and wildlife.

Published by: Environment Agency Further copies of this report are available Horizon House, Deanery Road, from our publications catalogue: Bristol BS1 5AH www.gov.uk/government/publications Email: [email protected] or our National Customer Contact Centre: www.gov.uk/environment-agency T: 03708 506506

Email: [email protected]. © Environment Agency 2018 All rights reserved. This document may be reproduced with prior permission of the Environment Agency.

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Foreword This report describes our work over the year April 2017 to March 2018. For the first time this year we are also reporting against our aspirations outlined in our Customer Charter 2017 to 2018. We have had another busy year in Waterways from our staffing on the locks, flag day patrols during the year, working with our partners in preparation for the Royal Wedding as well as meeting and working with our customer groups. We welcomed 9 new Relief Lock and Weir Keepers into the department and 23 seasonal reliefs. This level of staffing enables us to focus on the areas that our customers tell us are important, particularly assisted passage and compliance. We were able to complete a major lock refurbishment at Blake's Lock in Reading as part of the wider Investment Programme. We continue to manage with the pressures on our funding and look at ways to be more innovative and entrepreneurial. Our volunteers continued to support our work on the lock sides and the river and we enjoy over 200 well trained volunteers giving their time, skills and dedication to make the River Thames the best it can be. We ended the year with the Environment Agency’s Board visiting Shiplake and Locks. It was the first time for many of the Board members to see the work that we do and they had the opportunity to talk with some of our customers. Shortly before the visit, the government confirmed that our navigation responsibilities would stay with the Environment Agency for the foreseeable future. We look forward to delivering our responsibilities and working with our customers, partners and the wider public enjoying the Thames for many years to come.

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Contents

Foreword ...... 3 1. Investment programme and assets ...... 5 2. Regulation and compliance plan and activity ...... 6 Flag days ...... 6 Boat registration ...... 6 Accommodation licensing ...... 7 24 hour overnight moorings ...... 8 3. Commercial operations - revenues and cost efficiencies ...... 8 4. Customer Charter ...... 9 Lock staffing ...... 9 Resources ...... 10 Boat registration ...... 11 Events ...... 13 Customer commendations/complaints ...... 14 5. Water level management ...... 16 Trees ...... 16 Shoals ...... 16 6. Volunteering ...... 19

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1. Investment programme and assets

We carry out a programme of works on the River Thames every year between November and Easter. In order to carry out this work, we often need to close a number of locks for relatively long periods. The first issue of our investment programme is published in early August each year; allowing river users to plan their winter cruising and boat movements well in advance. During the 2017 to 2018 investment programme, we invested £930K in Non-Tidal River Thames navigation infrastructure (Environment Agency owned). These works included:

Bridge 93, South Monitoring works carried out to identify any structural movement of Stoke: footbridge. No significant movement detected. minor ‘Design and build’ contract to replace the timber fenders in the lock refurbishment: chamber. Completed December 2017. Lock Removal of chimney, refurbishment of kitchen area, installation of screen office refurbishment to divide office area from reception and redecoration. Works completed - Phase 2: June 2017. Blake's Lock chamber Lock chamber refurbishment; including minor refurbishment to lock gates. refurbishment and Completed March 2018. path works: Teddington Launch Condition survey carried out - preferred option of partial chamber Lock chamber: refurbishment. Detailed design being carried out in 2017 to 2018. Construction in 2018 to 2019. Condition survey and options appraisal completed to inform any condition survey: refurbishment requirements in subsequent financial years.

Clifton Lock Replacement of the timber sheeting on both sets of lock gates to extend gate re-sheet: the life of the asset by approximately 15 years. Replacement of the timber sheeting on both sets of lock gates to extend gate re-sheet: the life of the asset by approximately 15 years.

The winter work investment programme is subject to change, due to weather and other circumstances, often beyond our control. We therefore publish revised issues of our programme throughout the winter, so our customers can keep up to date. To receive this information, you can sign up to our email update service by emailing [email protected] or go to GOV.UK for the latest information. The Environment Agency inspects and repairs 132 of the Thames towpath bridges for which it is the legal maintainer. This ensures the continued safe use of the for staff and members of public. During 2017 to 2018 we invested £50K across our highest priority bridges. We continue to find smarter ways to deliver more work with our funding. We look to package works together to obtain greatest efficiencies and are planning investment into the 2020s.

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2. Regulation and compliance plan and activity

We support a safe and enjoyable environment for our customers. Each year we develop a plan to explain the enforcement activity we will carry out to protect the river, customers and our income. Read our Compliance Plan for details. Flag days ln addition to our regular river patrols, we also carry out 'flag days' where we aim for the maximum number of boats to be patrolling along the length of the river whilst carrying out compliance checks on specific targeted activities. As well as checking registration and accommodation compliance, we focused on promoting a range of key safety messages for river users, including speed and wash awareness, boat and river safety, and getting ready for winter. We also worked with partner organisations. During our November flag day, we worked with local fire and police services to spread awareness and safety messages concerning winter readiness, avoiding fires on board and reducing the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Our aspiration Target Ambition Outcome Increased awareness amongst boaters and In addition to our regular river patrols, 10 accommodation owners of the compliance 12 targeted 'flag days' (maximum targeted and law enforcement activity we carry out number of patrols are out across the flag days including planned campaigns and river on a dedicated day) are carried delivered. exercises to identify offenders. out between 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018.

Between 1 April 2017 and 31 March 2018, we scheduled 11 flag days, one of which was cancelled due to adverse river conditions. Due to higher operational priorities we also knew we would be unable to undertake the scheduled flag day in April 2017, and instead brought this forward to 31 March 2017 (completing 2 flag days in March 2017). This brought forward flag day has not been included in our outcome figure. Boat registration

In addition to the flag days, we carried out regular, routine registration patrols. This includes compliance action against vessels encountered that are not seen to be displaying a valid registration certificate. We carry out targeted operations in places where there is reported registration evasion, through intelligence-led registration exercises. We carried out over 16 targeted operations in the year, plus the 4 flag days focused on this issue. From our checks and activities on the main river, the mean rate of compliance is up to 95%. In March 2017 we received the awaited High Court Judgement on our appeal against the exclusion of off-line marinas from being part of the Non-Tidal River Thames. The High Court judged that off- line marinas do form part of the Thames and that consequently the owners of boats kept in marinas are liable for boat registration fees under the Environment Agency (Inland Waterways) Order 2010.

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During the flag day in May 2017, we revisited off-line marinas to confirm to operators the obligations for marina berth holders to be registered, and provided registration information to be displayed for customers. We allowed a period of grace for this to be publicised, and for owners to register or remove their vessel from the water. In late 2017 we recommenced registration exercises in Thames marinas. At this time, compliance in some marinas was found in the main to be considerably lower than that on the main river (in one marina this was as low as 70% compliance). Our objective in the registration year to 31 December 2018 and up to 31 March 2019 is to carry out a minimum of 7 registration exercises in marinas and by way of advice and compliance action where necessary, to increase compliance in marinas to 90-95%. This will be in addition to the engagement we will have with marinas to reinforce the action they need to take to ensure their customers are registered. This is part of the requirements of their Section 60 licence. During this period, we will continue to carry out routine patrols and specific exercises across the river, to raise awareness and to take compliance action against registration evasion, to protect much needed revenue and to keep other rivers users safe. Our aspiration Target Ambition Outcome We protect essential income and raise Reduce identified boat registration Evasion awareness whilst acting as a firm but fair evasion to 5% by the end of the reduced to regulator. registration year (31 December 2017). mean rate of 5%.

Accommodation licensing

In October 2017 our flag day activity was Section 60 (Thames Conservancy Act 1932) accommodation licence compliance. We carried out checks on frontages where the riparian owner had applied for a Section 60 licence or told us they had removed their structure. We spoke to owners about the requirement to license any unlicensed structures in the river, where we could not speak to or identify the owner of a property, we attached information to any structure not displaying a valid licence plate. We have fostered relationships with contractors who build riverside structures, ensuring they understand the need for licensing and can inform their customers appropriately. We also continue to work with other teams in the Environment Agency to ensure anyone carrying out works in, on, or near the River Thames understands their responsibilities. Over the course of the 2017 to 2018 year, we issued 70 accommodation licences. Of these, 34 were the result of a change of ownership of a riverside property, 23 were for new or amended structures, and 13 were structures previously identified as unlicensed. A further 9 reports of unlicensed structures were resolved, for example by removal of the unlicensed structure. Our aspiration Target Ambition Outcome We protect essential income and gather Reduce unlicensed 6% reduction of information or take appropriate action accommodations to 50% of unlicensed against owners of unlicensed structures in those accommodations identified accommodations the river. We also take time to educate and as unlicensed as at 1 April 2017. increase awareness of the need to licence

structures (also known as accommodations).

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At 1 April 2017, an estimated 365 structures were identified as unlicensed. Of these, 22 cases were resolved by 31 March 2018, representing 6% of the total. While this is below the target of 50% we set ourselves, between 28 March and 1 June 2017, we were recruiting our new accommodations licensing officer. This post will be filled continuously throughout the upcoming year and we now have more officers trained in accommodations licensing requirements, so expect to be able to improve on the outcome for the coming year. 24 hour overnight moorings

We extended our 12 month pilot (November 2016 to October 2017) of external management of our 24 hour overnight moorings by Thames Visitor Moorings (TVM) beyond April 2018, to enable us to complete the 2018 boating season. Regular site visits and TVM’s web-based site management system helped sites to be monitored 24 hours a day. Our Waterways compliance team have seen a reduction in complaints regarding Environment Agency visitor moorings during TVM's management. The extension of the pilot will allow us to determine base annual incomes generated from moorings fees collected at visitor mooring sites. Previously this income had not been recorded separately from lock mooring fees when collected by, or paid to, the local lock keeper. Our aspiration Target Ambition Outcome We protect essential income and work with Increase our mooring income % increase our appointed contractors to effectively revenue by 20% year on year. unknown manage our transient '24 hour' overnight

moorings. We promote maximum availability and flexibility of arrangements to legitimate moorers for stays over 24 hours.

Between 1 November 2016 and 31 October 2017, TVM collected at total £7995 in moorings fees across the river. Between 1 November 2017 and 31 March 2018, TVM collected a total of £1575. This is the first year we have set this target, and we will be better able to gauge % year on year increases throughout the coming year.

3. Commercial operations - revenues and cost efficiencies

In order to help make Waterways’ operations become more sustainable, a commercially-focused project named Navigating Forward was initiated this year. The project has two main aims: • identify new commercial initiatives related to Environment Agency Waterways infrastructure. • support a wider programme of sustainability within Waterways.

Capital investment projects have been identified across the three main Waterways areas (Thames, Anglian and Medway); some of which are planned to be delivered during 2018 to 2019. Thames Waterways staff have worked closely with our National Navigation Team; highlighting the potential for commercial growth at our lock sites, as well as the land we own away from lock sites, to our board of directors. We have proposed an outline investment programme that can be implemented in future years, subject to investment funding and permissions and have continued working with partners and stakeholders on improving our existing commercial portfolio.

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We will be re-tendering the Thames (Environment Agency) mooring contract after the 2018 boating season. This will capture the learning taken from our pilot, delivered throughout 2017 to 2018, and aims to make customers’ experience easier and more enjoyable. At 31 March 2018 the income from our Waterways estates portfolio was £350K. Examples of increased revenues and operational efficiencies include: • Rents at leased lock houses were raised to market values • Camping licences were raised in line with market comparisons • We continue to review existing land leases, as they approach the end of their current term, and make improvements where possible • We are working with stakeholders to secure alternative uses of the land we own away from lock sites to create greater income • We are reviewing the services delivered from our sites and are working with stakeholders to offer a wider range of leisure pursuits

We will continue to examine all of our sites and services to identify sources of additional income, cost efficiencies and improved customer service levels.

4. Customer Charter Lock staffing As in previous years, a group of boating representatives met Thames waterway managers to discuss the lock service standard targets for our Customer Charter 2017 to 2018. The agreed Charter included aspirations and ambitions for lock service, regulation and enforcement, shoal management and commendations and complaints. Outcomes against these aspirations are reported as shown below figure 1 on the next page. Lock service targets for our 45 locks included a review of the priority locks. These locks are where priority is given when determining where staff should be deployed during periods of staff leave, absence etc. To work towards our aspiration of single manning priority locks we prioritised a top 10 of the 20 priority locks with an ambition to single man these 80% of the time 1 July to 13 September. Refer to the end of this section for the aspiration outcome. In addition to the above aspiration and to our basic service offered during the period October through to the end of March where assisted passage cannot be guaranteed, our Charter aimed to achieve: • Full service at with continuous passage offered throughout published duty hours. • A standard service for April through to end June and mid to the end of September. Standard service offers assisted passage for published duty hours though staff breaks and weir work may not be covered. • A standard service plus for Easter and the May bank holidays and July through to mid- September. In addition to standard service staff breaks, weir work and maintenance periods may be covered by volunteers. We have collated the manning data from our 20 priority locks and our top 10 priority locks for the period April to September and compared the service level for each day against our Lock Keeping Service Targets 2017 to 2018. The results are set out in the table below. The figures are calculated as a percentage of ‘lock days’ (calendar days per month). As an example, in June all priority locks (except for Teddington Lock) were expected to offer standard service: 30 days at 19 locks = 570 lock days. Of these, 540 lock days were provided at standard service = 94.74%

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19 priority locks 10 top priority locks No. of days Full Service Standard Standard Unmanned Standard Standard Unmanned achieved (Teddington) service service service service total - plus and plus and above above April 100.00% 49.12% 58.25% 24.39% 55.00% 59.00% 21.67% May 100.00% 64.47% 70.46% 17.15% 67.50% 75.16% 12.58%

June 100.00% 88.25% 11.75% 92.00% 8.00% July 100.00% 67.74% 92.02% 7.98% 69.35% 94.19% 5.81% August 100.00% 69.78% 93.55% 6.45% 70.32% 93.55% 6.45% Sept 1 - 13 100.00% 58.70% 90.28% 9.72% 54.62% 93.08% 6.92%

Sept 14 - 30 100.00% 87.93% 12.07% 90.59% 9.41%

Figure 1. Summer 2017 Lock Keeping service performance (% achievement of target services)

Our aspiration Target Ambition Outcome Our priority locks (excluding The top 10 of our priority locks July - 85.48% Teddington Lock which is (as indicated with ** on the August - 83.55% manned 24 hours) are single service target page) are single manned through the peak manned 80% of the time Sept 1- 13 - 78.46% season. between 1 July 2017 to 13 September 2017.

Resources Following several retirements and a lengthy recruitment process, 9 new relief lock and weir keepers were appointed to cover various locks across the river including 2 posts at Teddington. 4 of the successful candidates were temporary summer relief lock and weir keepers and we worked with the Environment Agency’s temporary recruitment provider to back-fill remaining temporary vacancies. We would like to thank all our retirees for their loyal service over the years and our new staff are working hard to gain the skills and experience needed to run the locks. To support our lock service ambition of single manning our priority locks, we recruited 23 seasonal relief lock and weir keepers, 1 site warden for the Hurley and Shiplake campsites, and 1 summer assistant to support the 24/7 cover at Teddington Lock. The majority of these staff worked with us from mid-May to the end of September 2017. The seasonal reliefs are trained to operate our locks and weirs over a number of sites on the river, so that they can be used in the most effective way. 6 summer relief staff remained with us over the winter to provide cover for staff with long term sickness. During the summer we again received support from over 200 well trained volunteers to provide assistance and lunchtime cover for our permanent and seasonal lock staff, and to aid regulation and compliance staff on boat patrols. We also filled 2 Waterways Officer positions which became available following internal promotions. These officers work under the Operational team leaders ensuring compliance along the river. To provide resilience and support to our operational teams we appointed a temporary full time River Operations Manager using an existing vacant post in our Business Team. This post will be used whilst we undergo and bed in some reporting line changes. This was an internal Waterways promotion and others have been promoted to back-fill the vacant posts. 10 of 22

To ensure we are developing our plans and in a position to grow our Waterway, 2 strategic staff appointments were made. A temporary Strategic Development Manager who will look at all aspects of our business and consider how we may enhance these and a Strategic Engagement Manager leading our engagement activity with our customers and key stakeholders, managing our profile, and working across the wider navigations. Boat registration All boats kept or used on the non-tidal River Thames must be registered with us. We use the income from boat registrations to invest in the service we provide on the river. This income is supplemented with government Grant in Aid to provide a working budget for the Waterways department. Boat registration on the Thames is charged on a calendar year basis and the total income for 2017 was £4.04m. We continue to negotiate with our external partners on joint registration agreements to gain the best mutual benefit for our customers while collecting valuable income – this includes the Canal & River Trust, British Rowing and British Canoeing. During 2017 we updated and added to our first release of boat registration Open Data - this was first published in 2016. Open Data is data that anyone can access, use and share freely and free of charge. For the Environment Agency this means it is published with an Open Government Licence and listed on data.gov.uk. The dataset we published was of all boats currently registered on waterways where we are the Navigation Authority - Non-Tidal Thames, Anglian Waterways and Non-Tidal Medway. It only includes non-personal boat details, for example length, beam, waterway, tariff and registration number. We are a committed Open Data organisation with the aim of making as much of our data as possible available - as an organisation, over 2000 datasets have been published so far and we plan to publish more navigation data.

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Boat Type 2012 Income 2013 Income 2014 Income 2015 Income 2016 Income 2017 Income Private 9,010 £2,871,224 8,801 £2,957,864 8,604 £3,058,672 8,479 £3,073,082 8,240 £3,009,242 8,288 £3,066,889 annual powered Visitors – 3,958 £213,746 5,424 £273,017 4,593 £243,997 5,247 £253,246 5,175 £235,299 4,889 £224,792 powered & unpowered Commercial – 436 £344,910 430 £342,176 401 £329,521 407 £330,226 412 £316,538 406 £337,268 hire & passenger Other – 5,234 £357,142 4,731 £354,355 4,377 £335,085 4,062 £340,178 4,223 £325,592 4,129 £341,642 unpowered, events, houseboats, gold licences British 3,674 £61,620 3,996 £71,231 4,034 £73,160 3,738 £67,056 3,742 £63,202 3,703 £67,259 Rowing Total 22,312 £3,848,642 23,382 £3,998,643 22,009 £4,040,435 21,933 £4,063,788 21,792 £3,949,873 21,415 £4,037,849

Figure 2. Number and type of boats registered

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24,000

23,500

23,000

22,500

22,000

21,500

21,000

20,500

20,000 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Year Figure 3. Total boat numbers

£4,100,000 7.0

£4,050,000 6.0 £4,000,000 5.0 £3,950,000 4.0 £3,900,000 3.0 £3,850,000 2.0 £3,800,000

£3,750,000 1.0

£3,700,000 0.0 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Years

Income Charges increase

Figure 4. Boat registration income and charges increase

Events From 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018 there were a total of 177 events on the river and towpath about which the Environment Agency had formal information. Of these 100 required restrictions and the production of Harbour Master’s notices. There were 6 major events that required a higher than normal level of Environment Agency involvement. These were Henley Royal Regatta, Henley Festival, Reading Festival, Rewind Henley, Oxford University’s Torpids and Summer Eights.

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Customer commendations/complaints We received 21 commendations this year, many from customers thanking us for the service and help received from lock and weir keepers as customers travelled through the locks. Several lock keepers were singled out for special mention and the commendation passed on to them.

Support given during events, 2 Support at specific incidents, 4

General assistance river wide, 3

Assistance and support given by named individuals, 12

Figure 5. Commendation factor breakdown

We received 80 complaints during the year, the majority of which were received July through to the end of September. These were split into the factors shown in figure 6 and 34% of the complaints were upheld. The highest complaint factors of how we work in the environment and how our staff act, referred in the main to staff behaviours and the availability of staff to assist passage through locks. We take complaints regarding staff behaviours very seriously and take action where appropriate. In addition to our public complaints and commendations, Waterways dealt with 82 pieces of Executive/MP correspondence via our correspondence unit. 36 pieces were with MPs of which 27 were reactive and 9 actively prompted by Waterways.

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How we treat our customers, 4 How we communicate, 6

How we run our How we work in the business, 11 environment, 32

How we handle data & Information, 2

How we process How our staff act, 23 licences and permits, 2

Figure 6. Complaint factor breakdown

Our aspiration Target Ambition We offer a professional service to everyone we Our commendations increase by 10% from work with and are committed to getting it right 2016 to 2017 figures and our complaints first time. reduce by 20% compared to the same period.

Outcome 2016-17 2017-18 % difference Commendations 17 21 24% increase Complaints 69 80 16% increase

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5. Water level management

The table on the next page indicates the total number of sites at which strong stream warning boards were displayed throughout the year April 2017 to March 2018. The table shows the numbers of boards by lock for the season and the percent of the year when boards were displayed. Water level management is our top priority to maintain satisfactory navigation depths, reduce flood risk, protect wildlife and to facilitate water abstraction. Recorded rainfall over the last 12 months (April 2017 to the end of March 2018) has been fairly close to the long term average (LTA) for Thames Area. The statistics below are based on output from the soil moisture model. The summer (April-September) and winter (October-March) were evenly balanced with close to average rainfall. However, there were months with significantly lower or higher than average rainfall within these periods. These were April 2017 with 15% of the LTA; July 2017 with 167% of the LTA; October 2017 with 34% of the LTA and March 2018 with 167% of the LTA. Groundwater recharge has increased since December 2017, resulting in average river flows by the end of March 2018.

Trees We continued with our Public Safety Risk Assessment (PSRA) work on sites. We also dealt with reactive works. We continued our work with riparian owners in explaining their responsibility in maintaining their trees. Shoals The current situation with shoals remains the same as previously reported. We currently have 30 shoals marked in the Upper Reaches and another 10 spread across the river. As part of every patrol we checked on our navigation markers and make sure they are in the correct position. We respond to reports of the navigation markers that have moved or missing as soon as practically possible and reposition or replace as necessary.

Our aspiration Target Ambition Outcome We maintain a clear navigation channel Shoals are marked or removed New shoals 0 for river users. within a week of us being made Buoyed shoals 40 aware of them and if marked are removed at the earliest Shoals removed 0 opportunity.

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Number of days red/yellow boards displayed 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018 Boards Red Yellow displayed

Total Total Increasing Decreasing Total % days

Upstream of St Johns 23 10 54 64 87 23.84 St Johns to Buscot 54 7 26 33 87 23.84 Buscot to Grafton 35 8 44 52 87 23.84 Grafton to Radcot 56 2 30 32 88 24.11 Radcot to Rushey 48 2 42 44 92 25.21 Rushey to Shifford 44 9 39 48 92 25.21 Shifford to Northmoor 60 10 23 33 93 25.48 Northmoor to Pinkhill 28 12 53 65 93 25.48 Pinkhill to Eynsham 57 5 31 36 93 25.48 Eynsham to Kings 43 5 45 50 93 25.48 Kings to Godstow 44 7 42 49 93 25.48 Godstow to Osney 75 1 16 17 92 25.21 Osney to Iffley 30 11 17 28 58 15.89 Iffley to Sandford 29 20 36 56 85 23.29 Sandford to Abingdon 31 25 29 54 85 23.29 Abingdon to Culham 36 20 29 49 85 23.29 Culham to Clifton 64 15 6 21 85 23.29 Clifton to Days 29 16 24 40 69 18.90 Days to Benson 36 16 17 33 69 18.90 Benson to Cleeve 38 16 15 31 69 18.90 Cleeve to Goring 35 17 16 33 68 18.63 Goring to Whitchurch 43 10 15 25 68 18.63 Whitchurch to Mapledurham 34 17 17 34 68 18.63 Mapledurham to Caversham 30 17 33 50 80 21.92 Upstream of Blake's 20 32 18 50 70 19.18 Caversham to Sonning 39 15 29 44 83 22.74 Sonning to Shiplake 26 30 24 54 80 21.92 Shiplake to Marsh 37 19 28 47 84 23.01 Marsh to Hambleden 38 19 27 46 84 23.01 Hambleden to Hurley 36 23 25 48 84 23.01 Hurley to Temple 28 31 25 56 84 23.01 Temple to Marlow 67 10 16 26 93 25.48 Marlow to Cookham 40 22 22 44 84 23.01

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Cookham to Boulters 20 34 30 64 84 23.01 Boulters to Bray 24 23 37 60 84 23.01 Bray to Boveney 27 22 35 57 84 23.01 Boveney to Romney 25 9 18 27 52 14.25 Romney to Old Windsor 25 9 18 27 52 14.25 Old Windsor to Bell Weir 23 9 20 29 52 14.25 Bell Weir to Penton Hook 18 14 19 33 51 13.97 Penton Hook to Chertsey 27 7 4 11 38 10.41 Chertsey to Shepperton 13 14 16 30 43 11.78 Shepperton to Sunbury 9 20 16 36 45 12.33 Sunbury to 6 16 14 30 36 9.86 Molesey to Teddington 11 13 19 32 43 11.78

Figure 7. Number of days red/yellow boards displayed 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018.

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6. Volunteering

Volunteers have been assisting our Lock and Weir Keepers along the River Thames since 2011. Now, at the end of our seventh season, our volunteer project is a successful model of how volunteers can benefit an existing workforce. The volunteer positions provide individuals with rewarding activities to contribute to their community and local environment. 2017 to 2018 was another impressive year with similar figures to the 2016 to 2017 season. Much like previous seasons a very high number of existing volunteers returned to the lock side to assist our staff. Volunteer Boatmen assisted again this season attending events such as Henley Royal Regatta. 2017 to 2018 sees a decrease in Volunteer Boatmen activity due to availability and some unfortunate ill health. 8 of the 11 Volunteer Boatmen in 2016 to 2017 were active this season. During the 2017 season we held 14 work party days where teams of volunteers worked on specific locks on the Thames. During these days our volunteers focus on site maintenance or ecological improvements. Generally held at the beginning or end of the boating season, the volunteers work together painting, gardening and carrying out general site maintenance to assist our lock staff in improving their sites. 42 volunteers gave one or more days help, contributing to a total of 96 work party days. In October 2017 over 90 volunteers attended the end-of-season recognition event on board French Brothers passenger boat 'The New Queen of the Thames'. Celebrating 7 years of volunteering on the Thames. Awards were given to all and several were presented with the prestigious 'Big Blue' badge in recognition of contributing over 120 days lock side. In addition to the 'Big Blue' we presented the 5 sided; Legacy Award; to those individuals who have been contributed 5 years of service. Between 1 April 2017 and 31 March 2018, Waterways benefited from 4966 days of volunteer assistance on the Thames.

New Volunteer figures - April 2017 to March 2018 108 expressions of interest 40 applications received 28 attended training to become Volunteer Assistant Lock Keepers

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250

200

2011/12 2012/13 150 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 100 2016/17 2017/18

50

0 Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Figure 8. Active Volunteer Assistant Lock Keepers

12

10

2011/12 8 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 6 2015/16 2016/17 4 2017/18

2

0 Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar

Figure 9. Active Volunteer Boatmen

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1200

1000

2011/12 800 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 600 2015/16 2016/17

400 2017/18

200

0 Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar

Figure 10. Total number of volunteers days worked

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