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Recreational Users Guide - Navigating in the Upper Thames

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Restricted Areas
Houses of Parliament (Lambeth Reach): No vessels, including recreational craft, are to go within 70 metres of the northern bank of the River Thames between Westminster Bridge and a point 200 metres below Lambeth Bridge.

Albert Embankment (Lambeth Reach): No vessels, including recreational craft, are to go into the exclusion zone which extends from the upstream side of Vauxhall Bridge to the lower side of Lacks Dock and from the embankment for a distance of 15 metres into the river.

Navigating Above Cherry Garden Pier
Avessel of less than 40 metres length or a sailing vessel shall not impede the passage of a vessel of 40 metres or more in length or a vessel engaged in towing.

Navigating Above Westminster Bridge
Vessels of less than 20 metres in length and sailing vessels shall not impede the passage of a vessel of 20 metres or more in length.

Kew Road Bridge and Pier
Visibility on the bend near Kew Bridge is particularly restricted and passenger boats regularly manoeuvre on and off Kew Pier. All craft are to navigate with extreme caution in this area. Powered vessels are reminded to sound one prolonged blast when approaching the bridge from either direction and when leaving Kew Pier. All vessels should listen carefully for – and be guided by – the sound signals.

Navigating Richmond Lock and Weir
A half-tide lock and rising sluice gates operate at Richmond. The lock is 76m long and 8m wide. There is a charge for use of the lock, which has a Lock Foreman on duty 24 hours a day. Click here for more information.

When the sluice gates are down and the weir closed, the following signals are in operation:

• By Day - 3 red discs in the form of an inverted triangle shown at each arch.
• By Night - An inverted triangle of 3 red lights at each arch.

In addition an illuminated sign on the upper end of lock entrance reads ‘Weirs are closed please use Lock’. The lock must be used in these circumstances.

For approximately 2 hours either side of high water the weir sluice gates are raised allowing free passage. At these times the following signal is displayed by day and night:

• 2 amber lights shown at each arch - weir open, free navigation.
   

Mooring trots along the Deer Park bank are expressly for the use of those craft waiting to use the lock. Small craft rollers in the Isleworth bank arch are available for canoes and skiffs instead of locking. At low water the depth below the weir is restricted and care should be taken when approaching from downstream. The maintained level of water above the weir is 1.72m above OD Newlyn.

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