SAFETY ON THE RIVER THAMES

Motion Text

That this House notes that following the Bowbelle/Marchioness disaster on the Thames in 1989, which claimed 51 lives, robust standards for qualifying for licensed Thames watermen and lightermen were introduced; further notes that the Maritime and Coastguard Agency is consulting on a new licence system for boat masters operating passenger and non-passenger vessels on inland waterways and limited coastal voyages; is concerned that the new proposals will require lower standards than the existing safety requirements for the Thames; and urges the Government to ensure that competency standards and qualifying service time for boat masters operating on the Thames are no less than the current standards for time-served watermen and lightermen.