"Laurence" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >The toll system worked in the past. Today its even easier to manage. >Barcode all boats and have readers set up at strategic locations. >Issue a licence which allows say the first 100 miles free of charge >and then charge by the mile after that. Those that use the system more >pay more those that dont pay less. this system could also catch >unlicenced boats, overstayers on short term moorings etc. The >technology is "off the shelf" and proven. But i expect thats too >simple for Watford.
Most of BW's costs are fixed. The number (let alone size) of boats, and the amount each navigates, makes almost no difference to what BW needs to spend per year to maintain the system In fact, the marginal cost to BW of a boat navigating a km of waterway is *so* small that it does not justify the cost to BW of installing even the simplest use-monitoring system. As a result, tolls are not an appropriate way to charge for boating today. The charge needs to be mostly (if not entirely) fixed (i.e. a single payment for unlimited use of the waterways concerned during a stated period). >Thats how it does catch them, the system is "intelligent" to work out >how none movers can be on certain moorings. like the congestion >charge works, you pay one day going in but it knows you are there the >next day.As for unlicensed craft either no barcode or passing with a >fake or outdated obe would alert staff to the presence of that craft >within a defined section. >The new intelligent systems can pick up boats which overstay in a >certain area, plus craft with fake or no barcode automaticly alert >the the authority. in this way it becomes easier to identify >offenders and progressivly erases the problems. That is if the >authority concerned carries out the required actions! Yeah, right. I *really* want the government to know where I and my barge are 24 hours a day. (Hey, I've got a good idea! Why not force everyone to carry a mobile phone with a GPS chip, so the government can see how long each is in the pub? Unfortunately, I'm afraid that 20 years from now that may not sound so funny). In any case, the Continuous Cruiser problem is about mooring, not navigating. Adrian . Adrian Stott 07956-299966
