Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Exercise 2025: river restriction notice
Published 25 March 2025
© Crown copyright 2025
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/royal-berkshire-fire-rescue-exercise-2025-river-restriction-notice/royal-berkshire-fire-rescue-exercise-2025-river-restriction-notice
When
Wednesday 26 March 2025, 9am to 1pm.
Where
Romney reach, 400 metres downstream from Boveney Lock Sanitary Station [What3Words // shell.direct.galaxy] to the confluence of Boveney Ditch [What3Words // navy.lonely.encounter].
Details
On Wednesday 26 March 2025 between 9am and 1pm, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue will be holding a multi-agency exercise on the River Thames between Boveney Lock and the confluence of the Boveney Ditch. During the exercise a passenger vessel will be simulated to be in distress with multiple casualties and the emergency services will be in attendance.
The navigation channel will be on the Windsor Racecourse Bank, left side of the river.
Boveney Lock will remain open and accessible to navigation throughout the exercise.
Masters of all boats to maintain a safe speed and lookout in the vicinity of the exercise.
All boats should be navigated in accordance with any instructions given from Environment Agency control points or patrol launches.
Those in charge of boats should be aware that they are responsible for avoiding collision and should use all available means appropriate to the circumstances and conditions to decide if there is a risk of immediate danger and avoid it.
Bathing is not allowed in the river between the upstream and downstream extent of the restriction during the exercise.
We apologise for any inconvenience this closure causes and thank you for your patience during this time.
All directions as to river left and river right 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.