River Thames Waterways: Customer Charter 2023 to 2024
Updated 21 September 2023
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/river-thames-customer-charter/river-thames-waterways-customer-charter-2023-to-2024
Welcome to the River Thames. This charter explains the service we will provide between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024. We want all of our navigation customers to enjoy using the non-tidal River Thames and always aim to offer the best possible service.
Our navigation service can be affected by issues beyond our control such as high and low flows. Although we will always aim to meet the targets set out in this charter, factors beyond our control can make this impossible.
1. Lock service and user support
We aim to offer assisted passage to our boating customers during the boating season from 1 April to 30 September. We will also provide assisted passage during the Easter bank holiday weekend and spring and autumn half terms where these fall outside the season. Each lock will be operated by a resident, relief or seasonal Lock Keeper and/or volunteers, wherever possible, to provide cover for staff breaks, weir work and maintenance. There may be occasions when we are unable to achieve this due to circumstances outside of our control such as staff illness.
Between the 1 October and 31 March assisted passage may be available but cannot be guaranteed.
Lock keepers’ hours of duty
- July and August: 9am to 6:30pm
- May, June and September: 9am to 6pm
- April and October: 9am to 5pm
- November to March: 9:15am to 4pm
One hour lunch break taken between 1pm and 2pm when cover unavailable.
Our objective
Target: Assisted passage offered at all locks between 1 April and 30 September.
Objective: All locks providing assisted passage during the lock keepers’ hours of duty between 1 April and 30 September.
Public power to be provided at all locks where available when assisted passage is not being offered by a Lock Keeper or volunteer, unless we are unable to do so due to circumstances outside of our control such as power outage or breakdown.
2. Regulation and enforcement plan and activity
We support a safe and enjoyable environment for our customers. Each year we develop a Regulation and Enforcement Plan. This explains the enforcement activity we will carry out to protect the river, customers and our income, and our success measures.
Our objective
Target: Increased awareness amongst river users and riverbank owners of the regulation and law enforcement activity we carry out, including planned campaigns and exercises to identify and challenge offenders.
Objective: To carry out regular and frequent on river compliance and enforcement patrols throughout the year as conditions allow.
3. Maintaining the River Thames for boating
We keep our 45 lock sites (lay-bys, gates, chambers, canoe portages and visitor moorings) in safe, working condition for boating.
We provide information about basic boat handling, use of locks, safety and good practice advice for powered and non-powered boats in the Boaters Handbook.
We provide customers with information about any restrictions to using the river by email, at locks and online at River Thames restrictions and closures.
In general, we will only consider restrictions for exceptional circumstances. We give customers at least 10 days’ notice for planned restrictions lasting up to 24 hours including events and regattas, and at least 10 weeks’ notice for planned restrictions lasting more than 24 hours.
We arrange repairs immediately when we receive reports of critical lock breakdowns.
Updates on lock breakdowns, unplanned restrictions and other navigation issues will be put online at River Thames restrictions and closures.
We aim to maintain a navigation channel, normally the middle third of the river and approaches to locks, visitor moorings and marinas. Landowners are responsible for removing fallen and overhanging trees and other objects obstructing the navigation, and we will work with them to fulfil their responsibility as soon as possible after obstructions are reported.
We mark underwater obstructions we are aware of in the navigation channel and use signage to indicate the navigation channel and danger areas. Shoals in the navigation channel will be removed as soon as practicable. We work collaboratively with marina owners on safe boating access to their sites.
We will carry out surveys of each reach post flooding. We will mark any navigation hazards and plan any future work that needs to be carried out. We will check marker buoy locations and replace them in the correct location if they have moved.
For details of maximum recommended boat dimensions, bridge heights and drafts please visit River Thames: distances and measurements for boaters.
Our objectives
Target: We maintain a clear navigation channel for river users.
Objective: Shoals or other obstructions are marked or removed within a week of us being made aware of them and if marked are removed at the earliest opportunity.
Target: We offer a professional service to everyone we work with and are committed to getting it right first time. We aim to create a zero complaints experience for boaters on the River Thames.
Objective: To respond to all customer enquiries within our timescale of 20 working days.
4. Maintaining our lock sites and facilities
We provide and maintain safe access to our locks and facilities. When we receive reports of facility breakdowns we arrange repairs as soon as we can.
5. Moorings
We provide a variety of mooring facilities at lock sites and on other land owned by the Environment Agency.
Remote Visitor Moorings
At these locations boats are able to moor for a maximum period of 72 hours. The first 24 hours is free of charge and boats may remain for two further consecutive periods of 24 hours subject to a charge. Conditions will be displayed at each location. Failure to comply may result in a penalty charge.
Lock side Visitor Moorings
Many locks have a small number of moorings available on a first-come, first-served basis. Some have electric points available. Lock sites at Boveney, Cookham, Hurley, Days and Abingdon are able to accommodate several boats and may be pre-booked by boat clubs or other groups for short term events. These moorings are managed by the Resident Lock Keeper.
Base Moorings
We provide long term moorings (non-residential) at some lock sites which are available for rent on an annual basis. These moorings are managed by the Resident Lock Keeper.
For more information about all our moorings visit our locks and facilities page.
6. Managing water levels
We manage water levels to balance the many uses of the river including boating, retaining enough for water companies to abstract, managing flood risk and ensuring conservation sites, fisheries and water quality are protected. We measure water levels at lock sites and monitor them 24 hours a day.
We operate the weirs and other structures to provide the best conditions possible for all uses of the river. Our ability to control water levels may change in flood or drought conditions.
For current river levels as measured by the Environment Agency, visit River and sea levels in England.
7. Flow management
The Waterways team will continue to work with British Canoeing and local stakeholder groups to improve opportunities to use Environment Agency structures and flow management for white water training and events, where deemed appropriate. We will also work with stakeholders to ensure any development on sites or adjacent to them, for example hydropower schemes, does not have an adverse effect on existing uses.
8. Raising awareness of river conditions
We update our information and advice on river conditions by 11am each day. We also provide information by displaying warning boards at lock sites during increased flows, showing the conditions upstream and downstream of the lock.
Warning boards displayed at locks and what they mean:
Yellow (caution stream decreasing) boards – We advise users of all unpowered boats not to navigate and users of powered boats to navigate with caution.
Yellow (caution stream increasing) boards – We advise users of all unpowered boats not to navigate and users of powered boats to find a safe mooring.
Red (Caution strong stream) boards – We advise users of all boats not to navigate. People in hire boats arriving at a lock where these boards are displayed should stop immediately and contact their hire boat operator to ask for instructions.
9. Responding to incidents
We support the emergency services in dealing with emergency river incidents. In an emergency, you must call 999, or the European emergency number 112.
Once you have reported your incident to the emergency services by calling 999, you must also report it to us using our incident hotline 0800 80 70 60.
Pollution incidents, lock breakdowns and hazards to navigation should be reported to the incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60. The incident hotline is a national service covering all Environment Agency incidents. The call handlers at the incident hotline will pass your call through to the appropriate local team who are available 24/7. The local team will then take action to manage the incident. If you require feedback on your report, please make this known when logging the incident.
Check the River Thames emergency rendezvous points for a list of riverside access points for the emergency services. It is strongly recommended that a copy is kept on board your boat.
Environment Agency incident hotline: 0800 80 70 60
Swan Lifeline emergency hotline: 01753 859397
10. Registering your boat
All boats kept or used on the non-tidal River Thames must be registered with us. We provide a registration certificate which you must display on your craft where it can readily be seen by our officers at all times (eg, a windscreen or other forward-facing surface). For ‘open boats’ you will be required to demonstrate your registration certificate on your person. For boats not based on the River Thames, short period registration is available to buy in advance, or from most locks. Visit River Thames boat registration requirements for more information.
11. Future aspirations
Welcome all users
We will encourage and develop a culture of welcoming everyone using and boating on the River Thames. By continuing to work with other organisations to help understand and respond to user trends, we aim to facilitate a wider range of waterway recreational activities and supporting facilities, improve participation and increase the diversity and inclusivity of people using the River Thames.
Online boat registration
We will work with our National Navigation Team on the process to implement an online boat registration system in the future.
Caring for the environment
We will continue to encourage everyone to keep the non-tidal River Thames a pleasant place for all users and wildlife. We will promote following the Check, Clean, Dry code to avoid spreading aquatic non-native invasive species.
Zero emission target
We will continue our work to explore options for installing more electric charging points to facilitate River Thames boaters moving toward electric powered boats.
12. Make your voice heard
We review and revise our River Thames Waterways Customer Charter each year with valued support from members of the Thames Waterways Forum (TWF), our principal advisory group representing the community of boaters and boating businesses along the non-tidal River Thames.
The role of TWF is to maintain effective discussion between the Environment Agency and its boating customers, and aid informed decision making. The group is made up of representatives of local and regional governing bodies, including all the chairs of the local River User Groups (RUGs) which cover specific stretches of the non-tidal Thames.
Representatives of local boating clubs, marinas, local councils, the police, fire and rescue services and many others are represented at RUG meetings, alongside members of the local Environment Agency River Thames Waterways team. All RUGs are keen to encourage more involvement from the local river community, from individuals as well as organisations.
River User Groups 1 and 2
Email: RUGs1and2@gmail.com
River User Group 3
Email: ThamesRUG3@outlook.com
River User Group 4/5
Email: Andrew.Wilbey@btinternet.com
River User Group 6
Email: by request at TWF@environment-agency.gov.uk
River User Group 7
Email: Chris@Turner-web.co.uk
River User Group 8
Email: Chairman@ThamesRUG8.org.uk
Website: River User Group 8
Contact details for the bodies representing the views of specific groups of river users that also make up the membership of TWF are shown below. As with the RUGs, if you have an interest in boating on the Thames, joining one or more of the TWF organisations is bound to be of benefit to you.
Association of Thames Yacht Clubs
Email: use contact form on website
Website: Association of Thames Yacht Clubs
British Canoeing
Email: kevin.east@vol.britishcanoeing.org.uk
Website: British Canoeing
British Marine Thames Valley
Email: info@britishmarine.co.uk
Website: British Marine Thames Valley
British Rowing
Email: info@britishrowing.org
Website: British Rowing
DBA – The Barge Association
Email: info@barges.org
Website: DBA – The Barge Association
Inland Waterways Association
Email: verna.smith@waterways.org.uk
Website: Inland Waterways Association
National Association of Boat Owners
Email: nabochair@nabo.org.uk
Website: National Association of Boat Owners
Residential Boat Owners Association
Email: rex.walden@live.co.uk
Website: Residential Boat Owners Association
River Thames Society
Email: sailor1057@aol.com
Website: River Thames Society
Royal Yachting Association
Email: enquiries@rya.org.uk
Website: Royal Yachting Association
Thames Motor Boaters Association
Email: use contact form on website
Website: Thames Motor Boaters Association
11. Further information
Further information about boating and other activities on the River Thames can be found on GOV.UK.
This customer charter is produced after consultation with a range of customer representatives and we would like to thank those organisations that have offered their help and advice.
To register a commendation or concern regarding your experience whilst boating on the non-tidal River Thames, please email Enquiries_THM@environment-agency.gov.uk.
For information on current river conditions visit River Thames: current river conditions.
For navigation issues and river restrictions visit River Thames: restrictions and closures.
For information on all lock site facilities visit River Thames: locks and facilities for boaters.
For information on our lock keeper service visit River Thames: lock keeper service.
For information on lock measurements and distance between locks visit River Thames: distances and measurements for boaters.
For information on all boat registration charges visit River Thames: boat registration and other charges.