River Thames river closure notice
Published 2 August 2016
© Crown copyright 2016
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When
Thursday 18 August and Monday 5 September 2016 from 7pm to midnight.
Where
At Scours Lane in Reading (one mile upstream of Caversham Bridge).
Details
There will be installation and removal of a temporary bridge for Reading festival. Expect long delays on both 18 August and 5 September from 7pm to midnight (river conditions permitting) whilst they install and dismantle the bridge. From 18 August to 5 September 2016, all masters of boats should take care whilst navigating in the vicinity of this new structure.
The temporary closures will be managed by Environment Agency staff on patrol launches throughout the night. Please follow their instructions. Communications will also be available on marine band VHF Channel 74.
Once in place the bridge’s headway will be 5.35 metres / 17 feet 6 inches at standard headwater at Caversham Lock.
New temporary footbridge 5.35 metre 17 feet 6 inches
Caversham Bridge 4.56 metres 15 feet
Reading Bridge 5.38 metre 17 feet 8 inches
Byelaws
Nothing contained in these directions shall supersede those parts of the Thames Navigation Licensing and General Byelaws 1993 as may be relevant.
And Notice is hereby given, that it is provided by Byelaw 52 of the Thames Navigation Licensing and General Byelaws, 1993 that:
The master of any vessel shall except in an emergency not pass any boat-race regatta public procession or gathering for the launch of a vessel or any other event or function which may cause a crowd to assemble on or by the river nor station his vessel thereon in such a manner as would risk obstructing impeding or interfering with such boat-race regatta procession launching event or function or endangering the safety of persons assembling on the river or preventing or interfering with the maintenance of order thereon.
The maximum penalty for breach of the Byelaws is £1,000.