Ageing ferry to be out of service for repairs
Westmorland and Furness CouncilAn ageing ferry transporting passengers across England's largest lake is to be suspended for two weeks to undergo repairs.
The Mallard, which carries foot passengers and cars across Windermere, will be out of service from 23 February for maintenance work to "extend its working life", Westmorland and Furness Council said.
It will also be suspended on Wednesday between 09:00 and 15:00 GMT for preparatory work.
It means the typical 10-minute crossing between Ferry Nab in Bowness to Far Sawrey will take about 35 minutes by car around the lake.
The council is urging drivers to follow the official diversion via the A591 to Ambleside then on to the B5286 to Hawkshead.
The Mallard is more than 30 years old and the work is planned to replace and upgrade parts of the driveline system.
Last year, the ferry was suspended for three weeks for work to install a new engine and gearbox.
Councillor Peter Thornton, who is responsible for highways, said the work had been scheduled in the low season to minimise disruption.
He said: "We are committed to delivering an efficient and dependable service across the lake and are continually striving to balance delivering a reliable service with the need to carry out maintenance and improvements to ensure that service is deliverable."
He added that maintaining the reliability of the service was a "key priority" for the Liberal Democrat-led council.
