Nine Elms Reach - Victoria Rail Bridge - Diving and Arch Closures

Commencing Sunday 29th June 2025 contractors working on behalf of Network Rail will commence diving investigation and survey works at Victoria Rail Bridge. Diving operations will take place within the bridge arches and during the diving operations the arches will be closed to navigation. These works are expected to take place overnight and last up to 4 nights. 

To facilitate these works, the following control measures will be implemented:-

Arches closed to navigation will be marked in accordance with the Port of London Authority Thames Byelaws 2012 namely:  

• By day, three red discs 0.6 metres in diameter at the points of an equilateral triangle with the apex downwards and the base horizontal 
• By night, three red lights in similar positions to the discs displayed by day. 

During the closure of arches 2 and 3, Local Traffic Control will be undertaken from a PLA Harbour Service Launch in the vicinity of Victoria Railway Bridge.  All power-driven vessels intending to navigate between Vauxhall Bridge and Albert Bridge are to call ‘VICTORIA CONTROL’ on VHF Channel 14 as follows:-

• Inbound at Vauxhall Bridge  
• Outbound at Albert Bridge 
• Prior to leaving a berth or mooring between Vauxhall Bridge and Albert Bridge 

Requirements to proceed with caution or at slow speed will be made in accordance with the procedure set out in the Port of London Authority’s Port Information Guide, under ‘Speed Reductions’ with the International Code Flags ‘Romeo Yankee’ displayed. In addition, the Dive Boat will display an illuminated rigid replica of International Code Flag  ‘Alpha (A) as described in the Port of London Authority’s Port Information Guide, under ‘Diving’. 

The display of these signals will be in addition to any lights or shapes required under local regulations and the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. 

Further details may be broadcast by London VTS on VHF Channel 14.