Issued by: Gareth Carthew, Conservancy Officer
Issue date: 12 June 2026
Cancel on: 4 July 2026
Engineering works at Ford Railway Bridge – 15 june to 4 July 2026
MARINERS ARE ADVISED that engineering works on the Ford Railway Bridge will begin on Monday 15 June 2026 and will last approximately 15 working days. Working hours are expected to be from 0730 to 1630 each day.
The works will be undertaken from a floating pontoon with scaffold tower, with a 4m safety boat present at all times.
During periods where the works are focussing on the outer spans of the bridge there will be no restriction to navigation on the river.
However, there will be periods where the pontoon and scaffold are positioned under the main span between the wooden fendering, therefore restricting the available width for passage under the bridge.
At these times, any vessel which requires additional space to pass the pontoon MUST contact “REBEL MARINE SAFETY BOAT” first on VHF Channel 71 to request passage, so that the work crew can move the pontoon out of the main span.
All vessels are to reduce speed to the minium required to maintain safe steerage whilst passing the bridge.
The safety boat will maintain a listening watch on VHF Channel 71 during operational hours and vessels may contact them as appropriate.
