| STANDARD | Priority | | Performance |
| BW People | Low-High | | Bad - Good | - |
| 1 | Are friendly, helpful and conscientious |
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| 2 | Make every effort to understand the needs of customers and to exceed their expectations wherever possible | | | | | | | | | |
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| 3 | Take ownership of customer enquiries and endeavour to resolve them immediately | | | | | | | | | |
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| 4 | Politely acknowledge customers at every opportunity | | | | | | | | | |
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| 5 | Are smartly dressed for work (business / work wear) and wear a name badge | | | | | | | | | |
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| 6 | Have an overall understanding of the waterway network and destinations around it | | | | | | | | | |
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| 7 | Promote the organisation positively to all customers | | | | | | | | | |
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| 8 | Try to build and maintain strong relationships with all waterside businesses and partners | | | | | | | | | |
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| 9 | Answer all telephones with a welcome message - Good Morning (or equivalent) / Name / British Waterways / How can I help you? | | | | | | | | | |
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| 10 | All telephones have a voice mail greeting which is kept up to date. This includes Name / British Waterways / Thank you for calling / Sorry I can't take your call / Please leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can | | | | | | | | | |
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| Bridges | Low-High | | Bad - Good | - |
| 11 | Bridges are clearly signed on both sides with an identifying number | | | | | | | | | |
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| 12 | Hand operated lift bridges can be secured to prevent accidental lowering | | | | | | | | | |
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| 13 | Mechanically operated lift bridges have fail safe devices to control their descent | | | | | | | | | |
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| 14 | Clear and simple instructions for use are displayed at customer operated bridges | | | | | | | | | |
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| Channel & winding holes | Low-High | | Bad - Good | - |
| 15 | Approaches to structures, landings/moorings, winding holes & sharp bends are kept clear of vegetation for at least 65m. Advance warning signs advise boaters if fixed structures obscure the 65m clear sight line | | | | | | | | | |
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| 16 | Vegetation at winding hole pivot points is kept trimmed | | | | | | | | | |
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| 17 | Water depth is adequate for boats to pivot | | | | | | | | | |
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| Landings & moorings | Low-High | | Bad - Good | - |
| 18 | Operating structures, including a lock or flight of locks, have customer landings both upstream and downstream | | | | | | | | | |
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| 19 | Landings at operating structures, have a minimum of three bollards (or other mooring device) over a 21.5m length | | | | | | | | | |
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| 20 | Leisure and commercial craft have separate landings on multi-use waterways. Commercial landings are suitable for maximum length craft | | | | | | | | | |
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| 21 | Waiting points are provided in the approaches to locks and opening bridges on rivers. They are suitable for at least one craft | | | | | | | | | |
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| 22 | Waiting points on multi-use waterways segregate leisure and commercial craft. Refuge piles are acceptable waiting points | | | | | | | | | |
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| 23 | Landings and moorings have even surfaces and defined edges | | | | | | | | | |
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| 24 | Vegetation is kept trimmed at landings and moorings | | | | | | | | | |
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| 25 | Water depth at landings and moorings is maintained within published dimensions over a minimum length of 21.5m (for leisure craft) and the maximum craft length (for commercial craft) | | | | | | | | | |
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| Locks | Low-High | | Bad - Good | - |
| 26 | Locks are fitted with ladders. Two in wide locks - ideally at opposite third points. One in narrow locks - ideally at the centre point. The ladders have top hoops and are kept clean | | | | | | | | | |
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| 27 | Narrow locks have three mooring points on the same side as the ladder. Wide locks have three mooring points on either side | | | | | | | | | |
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| 28 | Lock chambers and gates are free of protrusions / indentations that could snag boats. Gates are fendered | | | | | | | | | |
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| 29 | Cill positions are clearly marked on lock top and sides | | | | | | | | | |
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| 30 | Staircase, guillotine and customer operated power locks display clear, simple instructions for use | | | | | | | | | |
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| 31 | Locks are clearly signed with an identifying number. Also with a traditional name where appropriate | | | | | | | | | |
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| 32 | Balance beams have handles and these are securely fitted | | | | | | | | | |
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| 33 | Lock walkways, and balance beams used as walkways, have non slip surfaces | | | | | | | | | |
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| 34 | Lock walkways, and balance beams used as walkways, have securely fitted handrails | | | | | | | | | |
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| 35 | Lock paddle spindles are one of two BW standard sizes. Spindles are not worn or rounded | | | | | | | | | |
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| 36 | Lock paddle gear includes a device to prevent reverse rotation of a windlass when raising a paddle | | | | | | | | | |
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| 37 | Lock paddles & sluices are risk assessed regarding potential flooding of boats. Fitted deflectors are the default requirement | | | | | | | | | |
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| Lighting | Low-High | | Bad - Good | - |
| 38 | Lighting, provided by BW on safety grounds, is maintained in full working order | | | | | | | | | |
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| Signage & navigation aids | Low-High | | Bad - Good | - |
| 39 | Safety signs and safety aids are visible, clear and legible | | | | | | | | | |
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| 40 | Safety signs are replaced within one day of a problem being logged | | | | | | | | | |
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| 41 | Customers are warned about overhead power lines with clear, visible warning signage | | | | | | | | | |
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| 42 | Navigational aids, signs, lights and buoys are installed in appropriate circumstances and maintained in full working order | | | | | | | | | |
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| 43 | Customers are warned about navigational hazards, such as weirs, in advance of the hazard. The correct navigation channel is signed | | | | | | | | | |
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| 44 | Where they are required, river level indicators are clearly visible and legible | | | | | | | | | |
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| 45 | Where strong streams or water levels can be hazardous, water level indicators and warning signs are in place. Both are clearly visible and legible | | | | | | | | | |
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| | Towpath / fishing / access points | Low-High | | Bad - Good | - |
| 46 | All vegetation is cut 'hedge to water's edge' at least once a year. Customer safety risks are eliminated within one month | | | | | | | | | |
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| 47 | Fishing pegs are not permitted within 30m of overhead power lines | | | | | | | | | |
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| 48 | Steps and sloping pathways have no loose treads or risers. Treads and risers have clearly defined leading edges | | | | | | | | | |
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| 49 | Where steps and sloping pathways have handrails, these are securely fixed | | | | | | | | | |
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| 50 | Where the distance between step risers is less than 1000mm, the tread / going is horizontal | | | | | | | | | |
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| Tunnels | Low-High | | Bad - Good | - |
| 51 | Tunnels have fixed safety and gauge reduction signage that is visible, clean and legible | | | | | | | | | |
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| 52 | Tunnels are clearly signed to indicate one or two way working | | | | | | | | | |
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| 53 | The direction of the nearest tunnel exit is clearly signed with arrows | | | | | | | | | |
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| 54 | Lengthy tunnels have distance markers every 100m | | | | | | | | | |
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| 55 | Tunnels with towpaths have secure handrails. Tunnels without towpaths have fendering and grab chains installed | | | | | | | | | |
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| 56 | Tunnel air vents are covered with a fixed grill or mesh | | | | | | | | | |
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| Performance | Low-High | | Bad - Good | - |
| 57 | Customers receive their boat licences within fifteen days of BW receiving the application | | | | | | | | | |
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| 58 | Signage is clear accurate and up to date. Redundant signage is removed when new signage is installed | | | | | | | | | |
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| 59 | Notice boards are kept up to date and are easy to understand | | | | | | | | | |
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| 60 | Destinations have welcome signage relevant to their location | | | | | | | | | |
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| 61 | Waterscape.com and BW's web site are accessible 24 / 7 | | | | | | | | | |
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| 62 | Water points, sanitary stations and other facilities are clearly identified | | | | | | | | | |
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| 63 | Correspondence is personalised with the customer's name, whenever available. A named BW contact (first / last name) will be provided | | | | | | | | | |
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| 64 | Standard information is dispatched within a day of a customer's request | | | | | | | | | |
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| 65 | BW can communicate with customers in Wales, in the Welsh language | | | | | | | | | |
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| 66 | Postal enquiries are replied to within five working days | | | | | | | | | |
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| 67 | E-mails are replied to within five working days | | | | | | | | | |
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| 68 | First level complaints are acknowledged within five working days and responded to within fifteen days of acknowledgment | | | | | | | | | |
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| 69 | Second level complaints are acknowledged within five working days and responded to within fifteen days of referral to a director | | | | | | | | | |
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| 70 | BW offices provide a 24 / 7 voice mail messages service | | | | | | | | | |
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| 71 | Telephone enquiries that cannot be answered immediately will responded to within five working days | | | | | | | | | |
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| 72 | Work patterns reflect the volume and type of customer demand | | | | | | | | | |
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| 73 | Pre-booked assisted lock / bridge passages are attended to punctually | | | | | | | | | |
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| 74 | Emergency calls to 0800 4799947 are responded to within 45 minutes and bone fide emergencies attended on site within a further 60 minutes | | | | | | | | | |
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| 75 | Electricity supply bollards and water points at visitor moorings function correctly | | | | | | | | | |
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| 76 | Toilet & pump outs, chemical toilet & refuse disposal, showers & washing facilities are kept clean & serviceable. Any unsafe situations are responded>to within 24 hours of notification | | | | | | | | | |
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| 77 | BW tries to maintain waterway vegetation at fit for purpose levels that reflect customer usage | | | | | | | | | |
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| 78 | Every effort is made to keep canals & towpaths free of litter | | | | | | | | | |
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| 79 | Busy dog walking towpaths have dog bins that are regularly emptied | | | | | | | | | |
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