Ferry service needs new £250k pontoon to run again

The pontoon at the end of Hythe pier needs to be replaced at a cost of £250k

It has been five months since the Hythe ferry last took passengers from the town into the city of Southampton.

In August it was taken out of action because the boarding pontoon at Hythe, where the ferry lands, was found to have cracks underneath.

Now it has been revealed it cannot be fixed and a new pontoon will cost £250,000.

The Hythe and Southampton Ferry Company said it had reached out to local MPs and councils for funding and was "exploring other financial options" but remained "committed to reinstating Hythe Ferry".

The service had been operating at a loss for several years, according to the company.

Lenny Woodward regularly used the ferry to commute to his office in Southampton.

He said traffic on the A326, the main road linking the Waterside village with Totton and Southampton, was worse than ever, particularly with current roadworks.

"It's a lottery how long that journey takes me at the moment," he said. "And I've lost the time I used to use on the ferry to do admin tasks, check emails, make phone calls. I really hope the ferry will be back."

Pub landlady Roberta O'Hara said businesses in Hythe had noticed a decline in customers without the ferry

Some businesses in Hythe have reported a decline in footfall since the ferry service was suspended.

Roberta O'Hara, the landlady of The Lord Nelson pub on the High Street, said everyone in the village was desperate for the service to return.

She said her takings were down 50% on matchdays, because supporters who used to catch the ferry over to Southampton were forced to drive, or catch the bus.

"The pub used to have a great atmosphere, particularly after the game if they won, now it's so quiet," she said.

Hundreds of Saints fans used to travel to and from home games in Southampton on the ferry

Saints supporter Alan Rowland said it can now take him two hours to get home on the bus.

"It was a great social gathering on the ferry on the way home, we're all worried it's not going to run again," he said.

The director of Hythe and Southampton Ferry Company Fran Collins held a meeting with parish councillors on Monday and explained they do not have the reserves needed for the new pontoon.

She told the BBC the work to construct and install a new one would take six-to-eight weeks once the funding was secured.

The ferry, which takes 15 minutes to get to Southampton's Town Quay, operates from the end of Hythe pier

Responding to those who fear the ferry will never run again, she said: "Our commitment to this historic community link is unwavering, but we need a sustainable, long-term solution, including increasing passenger numbers."

The company also said it had been in contact with local MPs and councils in the area, with "positive and supportive" conversations.

In a statement, a spokesperson for New Forest District Council (NFDC) said it "would be open to exploring the potential for helping to address any funding shortfall" but said it had not had a direct approach for support.

The deadline for applying to the Community Infrastructure Fund (CIL) for infrastructure improvement was 13 December and no application was submitted, it added.

A Hampshire County Council spokesperson said it had no source of funding which could support the project to renew the pontoon or the ferry service.

Red Funnel, which operates cross-Solent services, is the parent company of Hythe Ferry and now operates all ferry services from Town Quay in Southampton.