Maidenhead & Windsor

The Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough has this week come out in support of a detention order which prevents a Windsor boat operator from using two of its boats to carry passengers.

The Maritime Coastguard Agency has served a detention order on the owner of Funworld – which operates from the promenade at Barry Avenue, Windsor – preventing the use of two of its boats, Funworld and Funworld2, from carrying passengers.

The order cited the following breaches of the Merchant Shipping Act:

* unsafe arrangements for embarking and disembarking passengers
* insufficient crew
* operating without the appropriate qualifications for the person in charge of the vessel
* operating an excursion without the appropriate passenger certificate for the vessel.

Cllr Simon Dudley, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead adult and community services, said: “The Royal Borough wants to ensure that all residents and visitors are aware of the potential risks of using services provided by this company and to alert them that the operation is not considered safe by the borough.

“We need to ensure that residents and visitors to Windsor are safe when taking boat trips provided by local boat companies and we are delighted to be able to work with the Maritime Coastguard Agency to take steps to prevent a potentially dangerous accident.”

The borough is advising residents and visitors to check the passenger certificate – usually displayed near the entrance – if possible before boarding any vessel. If they are any doubt, seek advice from the London Coastguard region on 02083127380.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead