Thames ferry service relaunch still under scrutiny

A further review will be carried out into whether a ferry service across the River Thames should be reinstated.

The Port of London Authority (PLA) will lead the investigation into the future viability of the Tilbury to Gravesend ferry, which was cancelled in March 2024 by its operator.

Councillors have warned any reinstated crossing would need to operate without public subsidy.

Thurrock Council's place overview and scrutiny committee members heard on Thursday that the government said the ferry must be commercially viable, meaning passenger numbers and fares would have to increase significantly.

Paul Crick, Thurrock Council's chief operations lead for place, said substantial work had been carried out behind the scenes, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Early feasibility work indicated annual journeys would need to rise from 120,000 to about 160,000, while fares would have to increase by about 90% to break even.

Last year, a working group - initially chaired by the Thames Estuary Growth Board - looked at issues including fares, how often the service would need to run, operating hours and week-long schedules.

Crick said extensive modelling was required to understand the "optimum" commercial starting point for any reinstated service.

He noted it was essential not to revive the ferry on a short-term subsidy only for it to be withdrawn again.

The PLA will commission the next phase of commercial modelling and was assessing tender bids as the growth board had since been disbanded.

Efforts to secure alternative funding streams have so far drawn a blank.

But Crick said a transport grant could potentially allow support for future ferry schemes.

He will return to the committee later this year with further updates once the PLA's commercial modelling work is under way.

Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.