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JOINT NEWS RELEASE

Trinity House - Northern Lighthouse Board - Commissioners of Irish Lights

THE GENERAL LIGHTHOUSE AUTHORITIES
OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND
IRELAND

AIDS TO NAVIGATION REVIEW 2005

The three General Lighthouse Authorities (GLAs) of the UK and Ireland have conducted a joint review of Aids to Navigation (AtoN) of the coasts of the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland.

This Review addresses the current and future requirements of national and international shipping and those of Mariners in general for consultation purposes. Each AtoN has been studied in isolation, as well as in relation to the other AtoN in its vicinity, which we refer to as the "mix" of AtoN.

On 6th October 2004 the General Lighthouse Authorities published the Marine Aids to Navigation Strategy to 2020, known as ‘2020 The Vision’. This strategy document looks carefully at trends in navigational practices and determines a future strategy for the provision of both visual and electronic Aids to Navigation and forms the foundation of this review.

This is the second time that the three GLAs have conducted a total, simultaneous review of all their AtoN. The results of the first review were published in 1997/98. It is the intention to conduct such a review every five years, in order to ensure:

· "That the aids to navigation provided by the GLAs in the interest of general navigation are cost?effective and continue to meet the present changing need of all mariners and comply wherever possible with internationally?accepted criteria and

· That timely reviews of the GLAs’ aids to navigation are carried out to facilitate financial, operational and engineering planning."

Whilst each GLA has carried out its own review of its own AtoN, there are areas where the boundaries of two, or even all three, GLAs meet and where a concerted view has been necessary.

In producing the recommendations contained in the Review, the GLAs have:

• Carried out their own internal study of the AtoN in their area of responsibility;
• Selectively involved the users in initial discussions;
• Carried out cross?border discussions with other GLAs;
• Briefed individual GLA User Consultative Groups on the main recommendations arising out of the Review.

Several of the proposed changes contained in the Review have been incorporated as a direct result of user response already obtained to date on specific areas of interest.

The study has been carried out based solely on the minimum navigational requirements and does not at this stage take into account any other considerations. It is important to appreciate that the measures contained in this Review will not necessarily take place within the next 5 years, however they will shape the GLAs’ Capital Works and Buoyage programme contained within individual Corporate Plans.

For consultation purposes the GLAs’ areas of jurisdiction, which includes over 10,000 miles of coastline, have been broken down into 21 Areas, as follows:

1 - The Isle of Man, North Channel, the Clyde
2 - The Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan
3 - Ardnamurchan to Barra Head; Cape Wrath to the Flannan Isles
4 - Scotland N Coast, Orkney Islands (excluding Pentland Firth)
5 - Pentland Firth
6 - Shetland Islands
7 - Clythness to Rattray Head
8 - Rattray Head to St Abbs Head
9 - Berwick to Sizewell
10 - Sizewell to Shoreham
11 - Shoreham to Lyme Regis
12 - Lyme Regis to Bude
13 - Bude to Cardigan
14 - Cardigan to Silloth
15 - St John's Point, Down to Rathlin East
16 - Rathlin East to Tory
17 - Tory to Loop Head
18 - Loop Head to Fastnet
19 - Fastnet to Tuskar
20 - Tuskar to Baily
21 - Baily to St John's Point, Down

Copies of the of the Review document can be downloaded from the GLAs websites www.trinityhouse.co.uk , www.nlb.org.uk or www.cil.ie or are available on CDROM by contacting the GLAs at the appropriate addresses detailed below

Comments from users on the proposals contained in the Review document would be welcomed by 31 March 2005.

Comments should be sent to the appropriate GLA, as follows:

• Comments in respect of Areas 1 ? 8 to:
The Director of Marine Operations
Northern Lighthouse Board
84 George Street
Edinburgh
Scotland EH2 3DA
Email: navigation@nlb.org.uk

• Comments in respect of Areas 9 ? 14 to:
The Director of Navigational Requirements
Trinity House Lighthouse Service
Trinity House
Tower Hill
London
EC3N 4DH
Email: navigation.directorate@thls.org

• Comments in respect of Areas 15 ? 21 to:
Head of Marine Dept.,
Commissioners of Irish Lights
16 Lower Pembroke Street
Dublin 2
Ireland.
Email:marine@cil.ie

Notes to Editors

1. The marine aids to navigation provided by the General Lighthouse Authorities are financed from Light dues levied on commercial shipping calling at ports in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

Further Information

For further information contact:
Emma Skingley, Trinity House – Tel 0207 4816952 Email emma.skingley@thls.org
Lorna Hunter, Northen Lighthouse Board – Tel: 0131 473 3113 Email LHunter@nlb.org.uk

10 January 2005

Questions & Answers
Q. What will this review mean for shipping in Scottish waters?
A. The principal recommendations from the Northern Lighthouse Board, who is the authority responsible for Scotland and the Isle of Man, are:
- Upgrade the minor light at Chicken Rock and Monachs to major lights
- Discontinue the major lights at Calf of Man, Killantringan, Tod Head and Barns Ness
- Transfer a number of other lights and beacons to local Harbour Authorities
- Establish up to 6 new minor lights
- Lighting up to 15 currently unlit beacons
- Establish a further 5 racon stations at Lady Isle, Haskeir, Inner Voder and the buoys at Bo Vich Chuan and Whale Rock
- Discontinue all 12 remaining fog signals
- A net increase of 2 buoy stations, although buoy numbers may reduce if a harbour authority comes into being in Oban Bay

Q. What is the timescale for the review period?
A. Comments from “users” on the proposals contained in the Review document would be welcomed by 31 March 2005. These should be sent to The Director of Marine Operations, Northern Lighthouse Board, 84 George Street, Edinburgh, Scotland EH2 3DA, Email: navigation@nlb.org.uk

Q. Who is actually being consulted?
A. We are consulting as widely as possible with all our users, including Ports, Shipping Companies, the Fishing Industry, Leisure, Nautical Colleges, Maritime professionals and anyone with an interest in the safety of shipping and the environment around our coast. The Review 2005 is available on our website at www.nlb.org.uk and comments from all users of our aids to navigation would be welcomed and considered.

Q. How soon will the recommendations be implemented?
A. Following the consultation period these recommendations will be implemented on a rolling programme over the next 5 years.

Q. What if the proposals are not welcomed?
That is why we are consulting, we obviously take comments seriously and if necessary will amend the recommendations accordingly.

Q. What will happen to any redundant lighthouses?
A. Our Estates Committee will ensure that any redundant buildings are treated in a sensitive manner. Very many of the Board’s properties are listed.

Q. What means have been used to determine the possible closure of these lighthouses?
A. Traffic Surveys, Risk Assessments, Changing Shipping Patterns and the professional knowledge of those within the Board.