Boatmaster's Licence Review

EDM number 1073 in 2009-10, proposed by Julian Brazier on 11/03/2010.
Categorised under the topics of Licensing and Shipping.

That this House salutes the high level of skill and competence of River Thames Watermen holding boatmasters' licences plying their trade on one of Europe's most congested waterways; acknowledges that the river is unique in Europe as the conduit for a lethal cocktail of a large tonnage of goods and many frail pleasure craft; welcomes the opportunity through the current review to act upon concerns raised through the Transport Select Committee's investigation and from experiences of boatmasters nationally; is concerned that current proposals have not enjoyed the full consideration of stakeholders and would further reduce safety standards on the UK's inland waterways as experience requirements are proposed to be reduced by as much as 80 per cent.; requests that the Government fulfil assurances given in 2006 that there would be no watering down of safety standards; and calls on the Government to confirm the highest of standards for qualifying to command vessels on the tidal River Thames.

This motion has been signed by a total of 45 MPs.