Regulation 4 Consent to navigation
Subject to the provisions of this regulation the Secretary of State may, notwithstanding the provisions of regulation 3 above, consent to any vessel (“the relevant vessel”) being navigated in any part of the river where its navigation would otherwise be prohibited by regulation 3.
The consent of the Secretary of State under paragraph (1) above—
shall be given in writing;
shall not be given retrospectively;
may be given subject to such conditions as he thinks fit;
shall not be given unless the Secretary of State is satisfied that, if the relevant vessel were to collide with the new bridge in a part of the river where he consented to its being navigated, the risk of damage to the bridge would be no greater than the risk of damage from a vessel which could be navigated in accordance with these Regulations in that part without his consent; and
shall not be given unless, at least three months (or such shorter period as the Secretary of State may specify) before the date on which it is intended that the relevant vessel will be navigated in the river,—
the Secretary of State has received a written application for his consent and has been furnished with all such information as he may require for the purpose of determining the application; and
notice of the application has been given to the Gloucester Harbour Trustees.