Weymouth ferry terminal repair works begin

Large cracks appeared in the quay which was showing signs of collapse

Work has started to repair a Dorset ferry terminal which closed nine months ago when it was declared unsafe.

Condor Ferries moved its Channel Island sailings from Weymouth to Poole in February after structural problems forced the closure of Weymouth Quay.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council said it wanted to reopen the terminal by May next year.

Fast ferry services to the Channel Islands and France are set to return to Weymouth from 17 July 2013.

Cost doubled

Surveyors are currently on site and the excavation work will start on 10 December.

In September, the council announced the estimated cost of repairs had doubled from about £2m to £3.92m.

The authority, which agreed to fund the repairs on 2 October, said investigations during the design phase of the scheme had revealed that more work was needed than initially thought.

Fast ferry services will continue to operate from Poole until 17 July next year.

The revised costs of the work, which is expected to take about 26 weeks to complete, includes £163,000 in design fees, £242,000 for emergency advance works, £3.3m for the main works, £165,000 contingency and £50,000 for supervising the contract.

The council said it was losing about £650,000 a year while the ferry was sailing from Poole. A 2002 report concluded the ferry service contributed £7.73m to the local economy.