I recently launched a petition calling on Norfolk County Council to commit to funding essential work to the West Lynn ferry’s landing stages.
This attracted 629 signatures in a short time, showing the strength of feeling about keeping the boat afloat.
I have now handed this petition in to Cllr Tom Dickerson, Norfolk County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport.
There has been a ferry crossing between West Lynn and King’s Lynn since at least 1285.
Currently around 25,000 individual journeys take place on the pedestrian ferry each year and this number should grow as people look for more cost-effective, environmentally friendly and stress-free ways of travelling into town.
The ferry is a vital transport link and plays an important role in Lynn’s heritage.
It also supports local employment and tourism and reduces the number of cars coming into the town centre – enabling people to easily travel into town without sitting in traffic jams or finding and paying for parking.
This will involve replacing the high-risk West Lynn landing with a resilient fixed ramp, intermediate landing and floating pontoon designed to improve safety.
On the King’s Lynn side, the existing timber facilities will be refurbished using durable, anti-slip mesh surfacing and upgraded safety railings.
Together, these improvements will provide a modernised, sustainable transport link and ensure the ferry’s future for generations to come.
The King’s Lynn landing stage falls in St Margaret’s with St Nicholas ward, which I represent.
The ferry is an iconic part of Lynn life, and it would be devastating to lose it.
It would have an impact in my ward by potentially adding more congestion on the town centre roads which are already struggling with the weight of traffic.
The initial estimate of the cost of the work is £1.8m, and £800,000 of Community Infrastructure Levy money – a charge paid by housebuilders when they undertake new developments – has been awarded by King’s Lynn and West Norfolk borough council.
The remaining £1m needs to be funded by the borough and by the county council.
The borough council has demonstrated its commitment to the ferry by including it in its Masterplan and should fund its share of the works.
This petition calls on the county council to commit £500,000 too so the ferry can keep operating.
The county council has been in talks with the borough council about the ferry’s future and Cllr Dickerson recently visited Lynn to assess the situation.
As a result, the county council has posed several questions to the borough council and is awaiting answers before it makes a final decision.
My understanding is that among their concerns they need to consider value for money and want improved signage and better marketing of the ferry and to see it modernised – such as by allowing card payments instead of just cash.
These issues can be addressed.
But I am concerned that the administration in Norwich might use them as an excuse to not cough up.
I fear that perhaps they do not recognise its social and historic value.
The work on the landing stages is urgent, and the ferry is at real risk of having to shut down for safety reasons.
It would be good to agree the funding and work with the ferry to improve the areas of concern.
There are real fears that if the ferry shuts down without this commitment, it may not re-open.
This would be a shameful loss.