Sport and recreation on the Thames COVID-19

The Port of London Authority (PLA) has issued a Notice to Mariners confirming agreement with the Metropolitan Police, Kent Police & Essex Police that, from today (Wednesday, 13 May 2020), the Thames is suitable for undertaking recreational activity, in line with new Government guidance.

In the notice they stress that it is particularly important to respect the requirement that social distancing of two metres should be maintained and that group activity should be restricted only to those family members/people living in the same household.

Harbour master, Mark Towens noted that people considering going afloat must consider carefully the risks involved:

“The Thames remains a challenging environment for recreational activity. Those taking to the water should be experienced, understand the Tideway Code and other regulations, taking all reasonable precautions to ensure their safety, including using the appropriate safety equipment,” he said.

He also highlighted that the PLA’s river patrol operations in the upper tidal Thames (Putney to Teddington Lock) are currently scaled down as resources are focused on the resilience of essential port operations.