Notice

Reading University Head of the River Race 2025: river closure notice

Published 4 February 2025

© Crown copyright 2025

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reading-university-head-of-the-river-race-2025-river-closure-notice/reading-university-head-of-the-river-race-2025-river-closure-notice

When

Saturday 1 March 2025, 10am to 12:30pm and 2pm to 4:30pm.

Where

Caversham reach, Purley on Thames Marine to Caversham Bridge, Reading.

Details

From 10am to 12:30pm and from 2pm to 4:30pm all those in charge of boats should comply with the following general directions and with any special directions which may be given in particular circumstances:

  • boats cannot navigate anywhere on the River Thames between Purley on Thames Marina and Caversham Bridge, Reading.

  • casual mooring to the towpath or anchoring anywhere between Purley on Thames Marina and Caversham Bridge, Reading is not allowed.

  • mooring at all authorised public, commercial or domestic moorings is allowed provided that all directions given by our Waterway Officers are followed.

  • all boats should be navigated in accordance with any instructions given from Environment Agency control points or patrol launches.

  • bathing or swimming is not allowed in the river between Purley on Thames Marina and Caversham Bridge, Reading during these times.

All directions as to the left and right side of the river are given looking upstream.

Byelaws

Nothing contained in these directions shall supersede those parts of the Thames Navigation Licensing and General Byelaws 1993 and the UK Merchant Shipping (Distress Signals and Prevention of Collisions) Regulations 1996 as may be relevant. Particular attention should be paid to byelaws 24-42 of the Thames Navigation Licensing and General Byelaws 1993, Steering Sailing and Speed.

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.

Read our Thames Navigation Licensing and General Byelaws 1993.

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