The River User Groups' terms of the reference, agreed with the Environment Agency (EA), are to:
- act as a forum of communication and promote understanding between all users
- safeguard the interests of all river users
- promote safety and goodwill.
The groups’ constitutions require them to have:
- representation from all organisations and river activities, each with one vote if decisions are needed
- up to three meetings a year
- a chairman and secretary
The EA has pledged to support all reasonable administrative costs incurred by the RUGs.
The RUG chairs are ‘ex officio’ members of the Thames Users Navigation Forum which meets two of three times a year at the EA offices in Reading and is chaired by the EA Area Manager – West Thames.
The individual RUGs work very close with the EA's Waterways Team based at Shepperton Lock. The EA's guidance on how to:
- register a boat
- get permission to hold an event
- obtain information on river closures, restrictions and conditions
can be found on the Gov.UK Boating Pages and they can be contacted on: riverthames@environment-agency.gov.ukDO NOT REMOVE THIS BLOCK! REQUIRED FOR PAGE CMS CONTENT
