The PLA and Thames Regional Rowing Council (TRRC) have launched a new poster campaign, designed to help rowers stay safe on the Thames tideway.

The initiative follows analysis that showed a failure to keep a ‘proper lookout’ is the main cause of rowing incidents on the Thames.

The campaign, the latest joint initiative between PLA and TRRC, is centred on three posters designed by rower and TRRC-member, Neil Pickford. The posters have been distributed to rowing clubs along the tidal Thames and are available on request from PLA harbour masters.

Ian Moncrieff CBE has been appointed as non-executive director on the Port of London Authority (PLA) Board.

Ian Moncrieff is chief executive of the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO), a post he has held since 2011, having been with the UKHO in a variety of roles, including UK National Hydrographer as a Rear Admiral since 2006. He served with the Royal Navy for almost 35 years, accumulating over 20 years’ seagoing experience in 11 warships. His senior roles have included commander British Forces South Atlantic; he commanded the ice-breaker HMS Endurance and destroyer HMS Nottingham; he was executive officer, HMS Invincible.

He will join the PLA on 1 January 2015, replacing Rodney Lenthall, who will be stepping down from the PLA Board on 31 December 2014, on completion of his six-year term.

In our first issue of the year we told the story of our programme of habitat and other improvements on Oliver’s Ait, an island just 120 metres long and ten metres wide, on the Thames, downriver of Kew Bridge.

The island is only accessible by boat (other than at extremely low tides), but now you can step onto the island and see the work we did in our latest film: