Inland Navigation Signs and Symbols
Appropriate signage is key to the successful and safe use of our waterways - people need to know what is mandatory, permitted or prohibited regardless of where they are on the UK’s inland waterway system.
Navigation Signs & Symbols: an industry standard for UK inland waterways has been produced by AINA’s Safety Issues Group following a review within the navigation authorities for the need, when and where appropriate, to standardise the designs of signs, symbols and narratives.
Utilising good practice from various sources in and around the waterway network and elsewhere, a single sign standard has been produced which provides navigation authorities with design criteria for a range of signs. Adoption of this standard will also reduce the design costs of signage to navigation authorities as the vast majority are already in use on the waterways and many are contained within British Standards.
The standard has been refined significantly following the results of a consultation exercise earlier this year with navigation authorities, the MCA, DfT, IWAAC and other stakeholders, and AINA believes it provides a positive means towards ensuring the safety of all users of, and visitors to the waterways.
AINA Chairman Ian White said “The use of this document as a national standard for inland waterways by all UK navigation authorities will allow users and visitors of both waterspace and associated land to enjoy their experiences in safety through a consistent regime that is easily understood, without the need for formal training.”
Navigation Signs & Symbols is available online at www.aina.org.uk
The Safety Issues Group, which is part of the Association of Inland Navigation Authorities (AINA) act as the Inland Water Safety Advisory Group to the National Forum. The Safety Issues Group (SiG) was established for the benefit of navigation authorities' staff and the wide range of waterways users. It provides the mechanism by which the Association can reach collective positions on safety issues both for reference to external bodies and for its own purpose in producing guidance for Members and analysing data.
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