Vince Cable

Eel Pie Islanders are fighting big increase in charges for use of the river by the Port of London Authority and in some cases have seen a doubling of the cost of maintaining their moorings.

Vincent Cable, MP, who has taken the issue up with the PLA said that "like the Environment Agency which has a similar role above Teddington Lock, the PLA is trying to squeeze as much money as it can from river users be they owners of moorings, river industries or houseboat owners".

Vincent Cable is pictured with Robert Hall of Eel Pie Island who experienced a doubling of his charges.

Vincent Cable said: "the PLA gets most of its money from the big ships in the lower Thames but it also drives a very tough bargain with river dwellers as on Eel Pies Island. Their attitude is: pay up or you can face massive legal bills. It is a public body - a quango - but it operates very much as a law unto itself with little accountability to parliament and the public."