River ferry to close to allow for routine maintenance

Reedham Ferry must be inspected, repaired and re-certificated every three years

A chain ferry that links communities divided by a river will close tonight to allow essential maintenance.

Reedham Ferry offers the only means for cars and foot passengers to cross the River Yare between Great Yarmouth and the A47 at Norwich.

The vessel, which was built in 1983, must be inspected, repaired and certificated every three years to obtain its operating licence.

The owner says he hopes the repairs can be completed within five or six weeks.

David Archer, who helped design the vessel with Oulton Broad boatbuilder Fred Newson, said on the Reedham Ferry website: "The chain ferry will temporarily be leaving us for its refit in Oulton Broad.

"We fully appreciate this is a 'pain in the neck' for our regular customers not having the convenience of the ferry for a few weeks, but needs must.

"The chain ferry is 40 years old now, we need to take extra good care of her."

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Trains cross the Yare at Reedham, but the nearest road bridges are on the A47 at Postwick, south of Norwich, and the Breydon Bridge at Yarmouth.

The privately-run ferry is due to complete its last day of service on Tuesday. On Wednesday it will be detached from its chains and towed to the yard where she was built.

Previously a vessel built in the 1950s was used and prior to that the vessel was hand-wound on winches and was described as a "horse ferry" because vehicles using it were horse-drawn.

The current ferry can carry up to two vehicles in each crossing, as well as cyclists and pedestrians.