The lock at Shiplake in Berkshire. Seasonal lock-keepers on the River Thames will not be taken on this year. The Environment Agency has said it does not have the money to hire the 24 people, as has been customary. Volunteers will be asked to help manage the boating season, leading to criticism by lock-keepers that they don’t have the skills and experience to do some of the tasks. A letter to boaters from Mark Hill and Maria Merlihy, the Environment Agency’s harbour masters of the non-tidal River Thames, says that during the current boating season, from April 1 to September 30, there will be reduced coverage of assisted passage services.The letter says economic conditions have forced the agency to adjust its budgets for the new financial year, meaning it had to prioritise statutory duties. The volunteers will be used according to how busy a lock is. Lock-keepers have said that morale is at a low point and that they feel “unappreciated” by the agency., Credit:Geoffrey Swaine / Avalon