Thorpe Bay Yacht Club

Tel: 01702 587 563

I didn’t realise the RNLI had to pay £48,000 for the privilege of
using marine VHF. Disgusting I call it.

For info/action. Please forward to anyone you think might help by
signing the petition.”

http://www.telegrap h.co.uk/news/ uknews/3089310/ Radio-charges- may-
force-lifeboat- stations- to-close. html

The background:

RADIOS BILL MAY SCUPPER RNLI

LIFEBOAT crews fear being scuppered by crippling new charges for
using their radios from Ofcom, the communications regulator. The RNLI
could see the price of using its VHF emergency frequencies rise to
£250,000 under plans to charge the full commercial rate.

The charity, which saves hundreds of lives every year currently pays
an annual £48,000 at a discounted rate of 50 per cent. It relies on
donations and fears the move will have a disastrous impact on
fundraising. Peter Bradley, RNLI operations staff officer,
said: ‘It’s a lot of money when you think in terms of lifeboat days
and little old ladies collecting pound coins.’

‘We could buy several inshore lifeboats for the same amount.’

‘The Government rely on us to provide this search-and-rescue service,
at a cost of £124 million a year, but they want to charge us for
doing it!’

Ofcom has set out plans to bring ‘market forces’ into maritime and
civil aviation communications in a policy it calls Administered
Incentive Pricing.

£250,000 represents an awful lot of charity collections, even more so
in the current economic climate so, if like me you feel strongly
enough about this, please sign the petition below.

http://petitions. number10. gov.uk/RNLI- RF-licences/