Agree 100% with B1s lucid and pragmatic comments.
The Thames has appeared to have remained immune from the financial pressures that have ensured that all other waterways have had to come into the 20th century as far as efficient use of labour is concerned.
Athough a far smaller river with less traffic all users of the Medway have to be able to work all 9 manual locks and the Yalding lifting bridge in order to go from Allington to Tonbridge.A half dozen staff based at the first and tidal lock manage the entire river.
All the weirs and sluices adjacent to the locks as far as I know are fully automatic and the only known flood problem is of Yalding which is caused by the Teise and Beult joining the main flow of the river.
To date the last accident of note was when some oik messing about in lock near Tonbridge twisted his ankle and had to taken to hospital.Am not aware of a single collision or drowning on the navigation or the apparent need for a lockeeper(in uniform of course) to hold peoples hands when transiting locks.
Apart from the very busy lower stretches of the Thames it is very difficult to justify permanently manned locks.Sorry lads but it seems you will just have to tie up,climb out and work those gates and sluices yerselves in the future .
Wear gloves it will stop your nails getting damaged.

That magazine feature appears to owe more to the News of the World than the The Telegraph.