1. Definitions

In these conditions :
"We", "Us", and "Our" refer to British Waterways, including Our employees and agents to whom these conditions apply,
"You" means the person or persons named in the booking confirmation,
"Boat" means the boat or vessel booked by you for a passage through the Lift,
"passengers" means the persons (not exceeding 12, including you) who are to be transferred through the Lift at the same time as the passage of the Boat,
"passage date" means the date booked for travel through the Lift,
"Lift" means the Anderton Boat Lift on the River Weaver,
"Lift passage" includes passage (in either direction) between the River Weaver and Trent and Mersey Canal

A boat is suitable for passage through the Lift if it does not exceed the following dimensions:
21.95m length (72 feet)
4.27m wide craft beam (14 feet) or 2.13m narrow craft beam (7 feet)
1.4m draft (4 feet 6 inches) and
2.48m air draft ( 8 feet 2 inches) (as laden at time of passage);
And if it is not an unsafe vessel within the meaning of s.7 British Waterways Act 1983.

2. Passage Agreement

This booking is an agreement for passage through the Lift on the date and at the time specified.

By making a booking with Us You accept that these conditions apply both to you and to any other passengers on whose behalf the booking is also made and you confirm that you have the necessary authority of such persons to give that acceptance on their behalf.

3. Prices and payment

There is a standard set of charges for passage through the Lift. These are available from the Anderton Boat Office. This charge includes passage through the Lift for up to 12 passengers per booking but not exceeding the number of berths on any vessel. Pre-booking of passage is not compulsory although passage cannot be guaranteed on a particular day for boats that have not booked in advance. Bookings are subject to there being sufficient space on a particular planned passage.

Craft that have booked a passage must arrive on the holding moorings 30 minutes before their allocated time of passage. The last passage through the Lift will be 30 minutes before the advertised closing time.

Boat clubs wishing to bring groups of boats through the Lift are advised to inform the Anderton Boat Lift Centre at least two working weeks in advance. Pre-booking is the only way that We can accommodate the need of any group bookings.

Bookings may only be made with Us at the Anderton Boat Lift Centre. Bookings may be made by phone, in writing or in person. Payment is accepted by cheque (if backed by cheque guarantee card), credit or debit card or cash. A booking is only confirmed and binding when We have received your payment. A telephone booking is not binding on Us unless you authorised payment by credit or the card issuer confirms debit card at the same time and such payment.

All prices are inclusive of VAT. Boats will not be taken through the Lift until payment has been received in full.

4. Safety and other passage requirements

We reserve the right to refuse passage to any Boat not complying with the restrictions and safety requirements set out in (a) these conditions, (b) the booking confirmation or (c) notified to you in advance of the passage. We reserve the right to suspend use of the Lift for safety reasons or in line with a scheduled stoppage for repair or refurbishment at any time. We reserve the right to refuse passage to any boat that is without a confirmed booking or that is considered unsuitable for Lift passage.

You agree to allow Us to inspect the Boat (both internally and externally) prior to passage. If an inspection is refused, the Boat will be deemed to be unsuitable for passage.

Passage may not be suitable for young children but children of all ages are accepted provided that they closely supervised at all times by a responsible adult. All pets/animals must be securely held within the cabin of the Boat at all times during passage. Equipment or material carried on any deck of a Boat must be properly secured or removed prior to entry onto the Lift.

You must arrive on the holding moorings 30 minutes before allocated time of passage to ensure all preliminary checks and preparations can be made. If you arrive late the Boat will not be allowed passage at the booked time but We will arrange passage for you on the next space available. This may be on another day. We shall not be obliged to arrange an additional passage for you in these circumstances. If the alternative passage is not acceptable to you no refund of the passage charge shall be made.

You must follow Our instructions for the preparation of the Boat for passage. It is your responsibility to ensure that your Boat has a current British Waterways’ Licence.

The skipper of any Boat entering the Lift must declare the number of passengers on the Boat to the gate keeper.

All passengers must respect the health, safety and comfort of users of the Lift and of Our staff and must comply with Our safety instructions and any reasonable request made by Us during Lift passage. No smoking, other use of a naked flame or consumption of alcohol is permitted during Lift passage. All craft engines must be turned off once the vessel has been safely secured in the caisson.

5. Cancellation and charges

If you wish to change a booking you must contact Us at the Anderton Boat Lift Centre immediately by telephone to ensure that there is available passage on the new date requested and then confirm the change in writing. Bookings may not be changed less than two days before the passage date.

If you wish to cancel the booking you must notify Us at the Anderton Boat Lift Centre immediately by telephone and confirm the request for cancellation in writing. Our acknowledgement of your cancellation in writing shall be confirmation that the booking is cancelled. For cancellations more than 7 days before the passage date the passage charge will be refunded less an administration charge of £5. All £5 booking/administration charges are non-refundable irrespective of notice given.

For cancellations within 7 days but more than 2 days before the passage date one half of the passage charge shall be refunded, less an administration charge of £5. Cancellations within 2 days of the passage date will not be subject to a refund.

If any charges for an earlier passage or a cancelled passage are outstanding, We may refuse any further passage until these are paid.

6. Cancellation by Us

We reserve the right to cancel or delay a booked passage at any time on grounds of compliance with the safe operation of the Lift. In the event of such delays or cancellations We will notify you as soon as possible and offer an alternative passage. Where such passage is not acceptable to you a refund of the passage charge shall be made.

Please note that where passage is cancelled on grounds that the Boat is, in Our opinion, unsuitable for passage, no refund will be made.

7. Complaints

We shall inspect the Boat before passage to ensure it is suitable for passage. At the same time, We may take a record of the condition of the exterior of the Boat.

You must make a proper check of the condition of the Boat and its contents on arrival at the Lift exit and bring any alleged damage to Our attention at that time so that We may inspect that alleged damage before the Boat leaves the Lift. You must provide reasonable assistance and facilities to Us to enable Us to make that inspection and to record any alleged damage.

8. Limitation of liability

We shall not be liable for any damage to the boat or its contents reasonably capable of discovery by a proper check at the Lift exit and not notified to Our staff at that time before departure of the Boat.

We shall not be liable for any scratches to paintwork or damage to fixings along/below the gunnel line of the Boat

We shall not be liable for any damage to the contents of the Boat (including, but not limited to, all crockery and glassware) where such contents were not properly secured and protected for Lift passage.

We shall not be liable for any losses or costs incurred as a result of any delay or cancellation by Us of Lift passage apart from providing a refund in the particular circumstances set out in paragraph 6 above.

In any event, We shall not be liable under this agreement for any loss or damage caused by Us in circumstances where (i) there is no breach of a legal duty of care owed to you, or any passenger, by Us (ii) such loss or damage is not a reasonably foreseeable consequence of such a breach (iii) any increase in loss or damage results from breach by you, or any other passenger, of any term of this agreement.

9. Waiver

Any waiver by Us of any breach of these conditions by you or any other passenger shall not be a waiver of any continuing breach or any other breach of these conditions.