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Publication Date: December 13 2006
Despite vocal objections from Thames boatmasters, safety campaigners and survivors and relatives of victims of the 1989 Marchioness disaster, the government has laid statutory instruments before parliament that would seriously water down riverboat safety standards from January 2007 under the guise of harmonising boatmen's licences. (Details below).
A 'prayer' against one of the statutory instruments has been laid down in parliament by MP John McDonnell, chair of the RMT parliamentary group. (Details below)
"MPs have one last chance to throw these potentially catastrophic changes out," RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today.
"If they do not we will be faced with a massive reduction in training standards and local knowledge, and would see 16-year-olds, without even having to take a medical, allowed to navigate vessels the size of the Bowbelle, which hit the Marchioness and killed 51 people.
"It is no good ministers hiding behind the European Union, because the directive on harmonising boatmasters' licences allows the application of higher standards on the Thames and other tidal rivers, and all we are asking is that those higher standards be kept in place," Bob Crow said.
"There is absolutely no logic, rhyme or reason for a Labour government to renege on the improverments in safety on the Thames," said Margaret Lockwood-Croft, whose son Shaun was killed on the Marchioness.
"The minimum standards in the EU directive would be welcome on other waterways where there are currently no or lower standards, but not on the Thames and those other tidal rivers where the standards are already considerably higher. With river traffic increasing we need higher standards, not lower.
"It took our campaign 17 years to get a multi-agency emergency exercise to take place on the Thames, but if these changes are not stopped we could be seeing the real thing all too soon," said Margaret Lockwood.
ends
Notes to editors: Key changes in boatmen's training and licensing regime
1. No mandatory college based training - a 100% reduction on current requirements
2. One examination as opposed to four at present - a 75% reduction
3. A reduced local knowledge (LK) area - a 66% reduction
4. Six months for LK as opposed to two years - a 75% reduction
5. Two years' as opposed to five years' qualifying service - a 60% reduction
6. In addition, the current Port of London Authority Watermen & Lightermen's
Byelaws 1993 (as amended) provide that a passenger vessel on the Thames is not only under the command of a Licensed Waterman but must also be navigated by a fully qualified licensed Waterman.Under the new proposals inland waterways vessels carrying cargo or passengers will be under the command of a Licensed Boatmaster but the vessel can be navigated by any person that the Boatmaster believes is competent to do so. The consequence of that could be that a vessel the size of the Bowbelle (80 metres) may be navigated by any person over the age of 16 years who has not even been required to undertake a medical. So poor eyesight, colour blindness, or other medical conditions may remain undetected.
Statutory instruments
The statutory instruments that cover the boatmen's licensing and training regime are SI 3223 Merchant Shipping (Inland Waterway and Limited Coastal Operations) (Boatmasters' Qualifications and Hours of Work) Regulations 2006 and SI 3224 Merchant Shipping (Local Passenger Vessels) (Crew) Regulations 2006.
The prayer tabled by John McDonnell and signed initially by Ann Cryer, Kelvin Hopkins, Mike Penning, Gwyn Prosser and Robert N Wareing is as follws:
EDM 480 MERCHANT SHIPPING
That an humble address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Merchant Shipping (Local Passenger Vessels) (Crew) Regulations 2006, dated 5th December 2006, a copy of which was laid before this House on 7th December, be annulled.
To read RMT's submission to the Marine and Coastguard Agency on the generic licence, visit http://www.rmt.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeId=98424
Text of a letter sent to transport minister Stephen Ladyman MP by RMT parliamentary group convenor John McDonnell and London MPs Kate Hoey, Harry Cohen, Alan Keen, Neil Gerrard, John Austin and Lyn Brown on July 24 2006
Dear Stephen,
Re: New Licences for Boatmasters on the River Thames
As London MPs with a concern for safety on the River Thames we are writing to you regarding the introduction of new Boatmasters licences which will impact upon the training and certification arrangements for boatmasters on the River Thames.
As you are aware from discussions with the RMT Parliamentary Group we have no objection to placing the training and certification for non-passenger vessels under a new national statutory footing, indeed this is to be welcomed. However, by seeking to apply a uniform standard, the new Certificate will devalue the existing training on the River Thames.
The revisions to the current arrangements are in part being made in order to gain compliance with a new European Union Directive on harmonising boatmasters licences. However, as you are aware, the Directive does allow for the application of higher standards for watermen/lightermen on the River Thames.
Currently training and certification standards for work on the River Thames are high due to the demanding nature of work on the Thames and the levels of experience required to qualify for a full Port of London Authority (PLA) Watermen and Lightermen licence on the Thames.
Watermen and lightermen employed on the River Thames undergo training comprising of examinations and practical experience, which lasts for a total of five years before receipt of a full PLA Watermen and Lightermen licence. In addition, within this five year period a minimum of 150 days per year of service is required prior to the full licence being issued at the minimum age of 21.
We have grave concerns over the proposed new standards which will enable full qualification for work on the River Thames to be completed after two years general experience and a minimum 16 trips on the Thames to gain the necessary local knowledge, which is insufficient to gain the necessary local experience for such a vast and complex area as the River Thames. We therefore believe that two years local knowledge should be retained.
We should consider the prospect of a boatmaster who has gained his experience elsewhere commanding a vessel the size of the Bowbelle on the River Thames at the age of 18. The vessel could come into contact with a passenger vessel carrying anything up to 250 passengers. At the current time watermen or lightermen are required to have completed two years local experience and be a minimum age of 21 and we believe this should be retained.
We also fail to see why it is being proposed that the local knowledge area from Teddington to Lower Hope Point be reduced. We would respectfully point out that only a very limited risk assessment produced by the PLA has been produced and which does not provide the evidence to support this proposal.
In addition we would also impress upon you the importance of ensuring that there is a suitably qualified person navigating as well as commanding passenger and cargo vessels on the River Thames. Currently the PLA Watermen and Lightermen 1992 by-laws stipulate that persons navigating passenger vessels have to be competent, however this does not apply to cargo vessels. This means that a non-certificated person with no relevant experience could be left in charge of a vessel when the commander of the vessel was forced for any reason to take a break or stop work.
The one report that has examined the work of watermen and lightermen is the Baxter Eadie study into the skills and competencies required for work on commercial vessels in navigation on the tidal Thames. It is therefore a matter of serious concern that the Maritime and Coastguard Agency appears to have ignored this work - commissioned by the PLA. Unfortunately it was not released to the working party considering the proposals for new licence requirements which it is now proposed will apply on the River Thames.
In conclusion it is important to remember the recent history that has driven the upgrading of the current regulations. The revisions were completed following the inquiry led by Lord Justice Clarke arising from the Bowbelle/Marchioness disaster.
We know from discussions with the watermen and lightermen that they are not automatically opposed to new proposals for qualifications to work on the River Thames. However it is considered that the proposals as they stand at the moment are inadequate for safe working and the required level of local experience.
We look forward to hearing from you at your earliest opportunity as we know that it was your intention to progress changes to the existing requirements in September of this year. We would be most grateful if you could address all correspondence to Simeon Andrews (details below) who is the co-ordinator of the Group
Yours sincerely,
John McDonnell MP
Kate Hoey MP
Harry Cohen MP
Alan Keen MP
Neil Gerrard MP
John Austin MP
Lyn Brown MP
