Hythe ferry service suspension extended due to ‘accelerated’ corrosion
HYTHE ferry could be out of action for up to eight weeks, the operator has announced, after engineers discovered damage to an “unsafe” pontoon was much worse than expected.
As reported in the A&T, the route, which connects Hythe and Southampton, stopped operating on 22nd August.
It is regularly used by commuters, shoppers, and football fans travelling to Saints games at St Mary's Stadium.
A Hythe ferry spokesperson said it had now undertaken a more in-depth assessment of the pontoon and support structure, which revealed corrosion had accelerated “at a faster rate than initial surveys suggested”.
It added: “We have reached out to external contractors to understand the financial investment required to bring the Hythe ferry back into service safely. This is a significant piece of work so it is important we take the time to review all quotes thoroughly.
“As such, the service will be suspended for a further two weeks for this to take place. As soon as this process is complete, we will provide a further update.”
It is understood that any repair work would take in the region of four to six weeks to complete.
There has been no mention regarding the permanent closure of the service, the spokesperson confirmed.
They added: “In the meantime, we have and continue to explore alternative options to operate the service. We have not yet found a financially sustainable solution that ensures safety and accessibility requirements are met, but will continue to review other solutions over the coming weeks.
“We understand this is a particularly challenging time for [customers] and sincerely apologise for the inconvenience this is causing.”
Last year it was feared the service would be lost completely after then-operator Blue Funnel Cruises said it was running at an unsustainable loss.
It was poised to stop on 31st December until Isle of Wight ferry operator Red Funnel confirmed it would take over the route.
It had also been under threat in 2016, prompting campaigners to set up a petition signed by thousands.
