Time The Environment Agency sold licences on-line?
Clive Evans writes...
As a result of writing to the Environment Agency to complain about the cumbersome process involved in getting through Teddington lock for a short visit to the Non-tidal Thames, I was invited to a planning meeting last week. It would seem that the EA has been given some money by Central Government to investigate 'smart' ways of doing admin, and the Licensing process is one they are looking at.
Most of the people at this meeting were representing User groups along the Thames, ie the people who moor their boats there, and pay an annual fee. There were two of us who just wanted an occasional visit up stream. It soon became clear that our needs were different from the regulars, who mostly wanted some online access to the information about their boats, and the ability to update it, among other things. They weren't too unhappy about the annual registration process.
By contrast, we visitors were totally unhappy about the process of buying a short-term registration, and wanted to be able to do it not just online, but from our mobile phones as we approached Teddington lock. In other words as easily as one can buy a train ticket. It remains to be seen whether this project will be taken forward, but at least the EA is aware of our frustrations.
Environment Agency Annual Report