Metro mayor signs deal for new Mersey Ferry

Ferries first ran across the Mersey more than 800 years ago

The Liverpool Metro Mayor has signed a contract for the first new Mersey Ferry for 60 years to be built at Cammell Laird's Birkenhead shipyard.

Steve Rotheram said the ferry would be built completely in the Liverpool city region and would secure the future of the Mersey Ferries for generations.

Passengers were also being promised greater comfort and accessibility.

It is hoped the hybrid electric vessel will be in service by about 2026.

David McGinley, chief executive of Laird's parent company, said: "This is fantastic news it allows us to step back into the shipbuilding journey - we want to build ships on the Mersey."

Mr Rotheram added: "The full ship will be built on Merseyside for Merseysiders.

"At one stage in the 70s it looked as if we would lose them but they are part of Liverpool life.

"The ferries are synonymous with the city region because of a famous song but they have been running of hundreds of years and we wanted to secure that future."

Liverpool's Gerry and the Pacemakers sang about the famous route in their 1964 hit Ferry Cross the Mersey.

The ferry sails on the river between Liverpool and Wirral.

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