MOST readers will by now be well aware of the scale of the recent floods and the state of the river around Oxford.

They may also know from Oxford Mail reports that, in the last few days, two boats have sunk on the river after being swept away, and another narrowboat was destroyed in a fatal fire a week or so ago.

What they may not know is that there has been a concerted campaign over recent months by a group called the Unlawfully Moored Boats Enforcement Group (Umbeg), in conjunction with waterways authorities, the city council and the police to ‘crack down’ on ‘illegal’ moorers on both canals and rivers around Oxford.

There is no doubt that there has been a problem with a minority of boaters acting antisocially but, as a boater myself, based most of the time around Oxford, I am aware that as a result of this crackdown a number of boaters have now felt driven to moor in out-of-the-way spots around the waterways to avoid what they perceive as harassment.

I am concerned that this is putting people in danger, by making them remain in locations that become extremely dangerous during floods, and which are also isolated, so that in the event of an incident like a fire, people are not aware very quickly of what it happening, and help and access from the emergency services is very difficult.

One life has already been lost in the boat fire, and others could easily be in similar incidents and in floods in this kind of situation.

While it is important that people should be encouraged to behave responsibly on boats around Oxford, the waterways authorities, city council and others should consider whether their ‘zeal’ in enforcing the rules as they see them is actually endangering lives.

Certainly during an emergency such as the extremely serious floods, the rules should be temporarily relaxed and boaters allowed to seek refuge at locks or on the canal without fear of ‘enforcement’ patrols.

Boaters are people too!

LAURENCE HUGHES, River Thames, Oxford