The VOWHDC have blocked off access, with locked gates, along the lower walkway past the boats on Wilsham Road.
A sign says its called the Wilsham Road Wharf.
This does benefit the boat owners who can use this walkway / wharf.
Jeff wrote to me saying ‘It has been used by the public at large for more years than I can remember (40+) and that probably means that it has acquired a Public Right of Way by default – well that’s what I read on the Rambles Association web site.’
It went out of bounds for a bit. sign there. Guess people took no notice so now this. I see them doing as go by on a bike jolly to Milton park. Thought doing something. So the gate.
Another jobsworth idea.
I think someone said it is for health and safety reasons as people might fall in. It has been open to the public for many years and to my knowledge no one has fallen in.
Probably to give a bit of security for the boat owners that pay to moor their boats there and help stop children climbing on the boats.
Also in the winter when the river floods the extra mooring ropes cross the walkway making a trip hazard for those that try to use it.
Great to have these to keep boats safe and stop people messing about with them well done whoever decided to add these 🙂
I agree these are a great addition to the area and make the morning fee great value.
great work whoever installed these
Selfish. Mean minded people who want control over the majority of those over a estimated hundred a day in Each direction for no valid reason
nonsense the gates will not stop anyone who wants to cause damage just a few of selfish boat owners most of which rarely used their craft and certainly dont pay enough to support the work to date so out of rate payers funds some of which been using the established right of way for over 50 years , the alleged safety issue is a joke as the gates impede access to anyone in need of help
in fairness it’s not blocking anyone from walking as it runs parallel with the footpath. i used to zig zag on my way home as a kid, first the mooring path, then up to the main footpath, then down again. it’s hard to object to this though.
Freedom of the majority curtailed by the self ish few who seldom uses their boats
One thing is that it prevents access to the public bin which is now on the other side of the fence!
Access to the life belts is also conveniently on the other side of the fence
No thoughts by morons
No thoughts about what ? It’s improved the safety of the boats and people that could potentially fall in etc
Gates are a great addition to the area well done who ever thought to have these installed
whoever thought of adding gates is a moron if there is a safety walking along side the river why is not the Margaret Gardens not locked .
This Gardner seems to be a jobsworth with these silly posts, not sure what he is trying to achieve but please get a life whoever you are
The real reason the council put gates along the wharf is because they are following Oxford city councils similar move when last year (as featured in the ox mail) they were told by their insurance company they would no longer provide cover for claims on public liability or third party because they considered all “open” wharfs and pontoons to great an H & S risk, (this has nothing whatsoever to do with boats or their owners who in fact will have to bear the brunt of the costs by way of increased mooring fees) The only people inconvenienced by this action are the boat owners who have to now use a coded entrance/exit, Council is merely following the lead set by the City council, the waste bin has now been relocated
Do the mooring fees of £10 a week per boat cover the costs of collecting the fees,, installations of the gates insurance and are the accounts published?