Notice

Reading University Head of the River Race 2024: river closure notice

Published 16 February 2024

This notice was withdrawn on

Closure notice no longer in force.

When

Saturday 2 March 2024, 10am to 12:30pm and 2pm to 4:30pm.

Where

Caversham reach, Purley on Thames Marina to Caversham Bridge.

Details

The River Thames between Purley on Thames Marina and Caversham Bridge, Reading will be closed to all traffic other than authorised boats from 10am to 12:30pm and 2pm to 4:30pm on Saturday 2 March 2024.

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.

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.