Environment Agency
If you are planning to boat on the River Thames, you may also find our distances and measurements for boaters page useful.
For general enquiries contact our National Customer Contact Centre. Email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk or call 03708 506 506 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm).
Using the locks
There will be assisted passage at some lock sites during lock keeper hours of duty. When assisted passage is not offered, locks will be self service on public power where public power is available.
Lock keepers work at Environment Agency locks to help boaters through the lock. You can also operate the lock yourself when a lock keeper is not there. To find out whether there will be a lock keeper on duty at the lock you are visiting check our River Thames lock keeper service page.
Full details of the service lock keepers offer on the River Thames are in the River Thames Customer Charter.
Lock keeper hours of duty
| Month | Morning | Afternoon |
|---|---|---|
| January | 9:15am to 1pm | 2pm to 4pm |
| February | 9:15am to 1pm | 2pm to 4pm |
| March | 9:15am to 1pm | 2pm to 4pm |
| April | 9am to 1pm | 2pm to 5pm |
| May | 9am to 1pm | 2pm to 6pm |
| June | 9am to 1pm | 2pm to 6pm |
| July | 9am to 1pm | 2pm to 6:30pm |
| August | 9am to 1pm | 2pm to 6:30pm |
| September | 9am to 1pm | 2pm to 6pm |
| October | 9am to 1pm | 2pm to 5pm |
| November | 9:15am to 1pm | 2pm to 4pm |
| December | 9:15am to 1pm | 2pm to 4pm |
Teddington Lock has a 24 hour service all year.
At all other locks, you need to operate the lock yourself when the blue self service signs are displayed.
Operating the lock yourself
When lock keepers are not available you may work the lock yourself, at your own risk. Some locks have power, which makes them easier to operate.
Operating instructions are posted at locks. Read the operating instructions before you operate the lock.
If you are operating the lock yourself:
- stay close to the sluice controls while the sluices are in operation
- close the lock gates properly before slowly opening the sluices to fill or empty the lock
- leave the lock empty and shut the gates after use - there is often a public right of way over the gates
In an emergency you should close all sluices before dealing with the situation. Emergency contact details are displayed at each lock.
Camping at lock sites
Some Environment Agency lock sites on the River Thames have camping facilities. When planning to camp at an Environment Agency camp site, you will need to check the access routes. Many are only accessible by boat or on foot. Parking is not available at all lock camp sites.
Camping is available at the following sites between the stated dates:
- Rushey 1 April to 31 October 2022
- Shifford closed until further notice
- Pinkhill 1 April to 30 September 2022
- Eynsham all year
- Days closed until further notice
- Hurley closed to casual campers
To ask about availability, call 03708 506 506 or email WaterwaysThames@environment-agency.gov.uk. State the dates and campsite you are interested in and the number of people and tents you want to book for. We will respond to your enquiry within 10 working days to confirm your booking. Please do not contact the Lock Office directly.
Payment can be made on arrival at site during lock keeper hours of duty. You can pay by cash, cheque or credit or debit card.
Short stay mooring
Unless signs state otherwise, you are allowed to moor for up to 24 hours at Environment Agency short stay moorings.
You may have to pay a fee at some sites, either for mooring at any time, or after an initial free period.
Signs will usually show any applicable conditions and charges payable. By mooring, you are agreeing to them.
Call 03708 506 506 if you have any queries, including if you want to pre-book a short stay mooring. Please note, pre-booking is only available at selected locks.
Additional charges and penalties
Additional charges and penalties may apply if you do not comply with conditions of use. Penalties could include:
- suspension of your boat registration
- removal of your boat under court order (at the owners expense)
If we have issued warnings for the current river conditions that advise you not to navigate, these penalties will not apply. You should plan to move your boat from the mooring when it is safe to do so.
Electric charging point moorings
Electric powered boats have priority at Environment Agency electric charging point moorings.
Any boat using the electric charging point at an Environment Agency mooring for any length of time will be charged for this service.
Fully charged boats should move away from the charging point if there is another boat waiting to use it.
During the boating season (1 April to 31 October inclusive) electric charging point moorings are only bookable for electric powered boats. Bookings should be made at least 48 hours in advance by emailing waterwaysthames@environment-agency.gov.uk (monitored Monday to Friday) or directly with a Lock and Weir Keepers.
Electric charging point moorings are only available for 24 hours and boats must not return to the same electric charging point for 72 hours.
After 4pm any electric charging point moorings not booked will be available to any boat, whether electric powered or not, on a first come first serve basis.
Outside the boating season the above does not apply. However any boats moored at an Environment Agency electric charging point mooring will be required to move within 24 hours if an electric powered boat requests to use the service.
Where you can find Environment Agency short stay moorings
You can find short stay moorings at the locations listed below. Those marked marked ** may be prebooked, if available (spaces are limited), by emailing your request to WaterwaysThames@environment-agency.gov.uk. Please put Short stay lock mooring request in the subject heading.
Short stay moorings available at:
- Lechlade - Riverside Pub
- St Johns Lock - downstream **
- Buscot Lock - upstream **
- Shifford Lock - upstream **
- Northmoor Lock - upstream **
- Eynsham Lock - upstream **
- Eynsham Lock - downstream **
- Kings Lock - upstream **
- Kings Lock - downstream
- Oxford - East Street
- Iffley Lock - upstream
- Iffley Lock - downstream
- Sandford Lock - upstream **
- Sandford Lock - downstream **
- Abingdon Lock - upstream **
- Culham Lock - upstream **
- Clifton Lock - upstream **
- Days Lock - upstream **
- Benson Lock - upstream **
- Cleeve Lock - downstream
- Goring Lock - upstream **
- Goring Lock - downstream
- Goring - downstream of Goring Bridge
- Reading - Scours Lane (moor with care - water depth variable)
- Sonning - for 950 metres upstream of Sonning Lock (moor with care - water depth variable)
- Shiplak