Loss of small passenger ferries

[whole diary]

[CyclingSid]

I am wondering how small local ferry services are going to survive Covid-19.

Hayling ferry – Suspended      https://www.haylingferry.net/
Itchenor ferry – season starts April   https://www.itchenorferry.co.uk/
Hamble ferry – Suspended      https://www.hambleferry.co.uk/
Keyhaven – Hurst Castle ferry – Closed   https://www.hurstcastle.co.uk/ferry-ride/
Mudeford ferry – Closed      http://www.mudefordferry.co.uk/
Shepperton ferry         https://www.nauticalia-marine-services.co.uk/shepperton-weybridge-pedestrian-ferry/
Hammertons ferry – Suspended      http://www.hammertonsferry.com/
Hampton ferry – Suspended      http://www.hamptonferryboathouse.co.uk/

Which are the ferries in the area I normally travel round. Most tend to be small family-type businesses (Hayling ferry now owned by a slightly larger marine services company) which provide useful links for the local community and help the local tourist trade (which will reappear eventually). Possibly fall in the gaps between the Chancellor's schemes.

If you are interested in other ferries I believe a comprehensive listing can be found at:
   https://charlesclosesociety.org/ferries
I think some of these were probably collated when the Hayling Ferry was insolvent.

[grahame]

Perhaps some of these are slightly larger ... but in our area, I also think of

Dartmouth to Kingswear
Southampton to Hythe
Portsmouth Harbour to Gosport
Falmouth to St Mawes
Padstow to Rock
Bristol Harbour
Weymouth Harbour
Sandbanks
Cremyll Ferry
Torpoint Ferry
Penzance to Scillies
Ferry to Lundy

[SandTEngineer]

Some more to add:
Polruan Pedestrian Ferry
Bodinnick Car Ferry (Looe to Fowey)
East Looe to West Looe
Cawsand (Plymouth)

[eightf48544]

in ex GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) territory.

The Symonds Yat ferry which swings acroos the Wye on a cable using the current. Carbon free!

Aren't there a coiuple of ferries near Severn Valley stations?

[ray951]

East Cowes to West Cowes

[grahame]

East Cowes to West Cowes

Sorry - couldn't resist.  Thank you to the Pioneer Woman for making this image available

[SandTEngineer]

I searched for a photograph for East Looe to West Looe but couldn't find one......

If you do find one, please, please don't post it here

[eightonedee]

add - Exmouth to Starcross and Topsham to Exminster Marshes. When I last used the latter, we had to wait because the ferryman suspended the service to rescue a yacht that had broken free from its mooring and was drifting down river!

[Bmblbzzz]

Lower Lode ferry, just outside Tewkesbury: https://www.tewkesbury.town/tewkesbury-ferry-lower-lode/index.htm

Just to note Bristol Harbour has two regular ferry services: one runs up and down the river and harbour, while the other runs across the harbour more or less opposite the SS Great Britain.

[Bmblbzzz]

Depending how far back you want to go, there are loads of places where the road layout indicates there must have been a small ferry at one point. For instance this one, also not far from Tewkesbury. No idea when it last ran:
https://www.streetmap.co.uk/idld.srf?X=390672&Y=236601&A=Y&Z=120&lm=1

[SandTEngineer]

A few more lesser known ones:
Instow to Appledore (Torridge Estuary)
Gillan to St Anthony (Gillan Creek)
Helford River
St Mawes to Place Creek
Plymouth Sutton Harbour to Mount Batten Park
Wembury Point to Newton Ferrers and Noss Mayo (River Yealm)
Shaldon to Teignmouth (River Teign) (This is England's longest-running passenger ferry, with written records of the ferry dating back to 1296)
Turf/Topsham (River Exe)
Weymouth Harbour

[Reginald25]

There must be numerous small ones, particularly those of pedestrians such as that at Christchurch. The definition of small appears here to be crossing a river or estuary where there is an alternative land route. Looking at the lists that have been identified, there are significant ones that are unlikely to fail, mainly those for vehicles. To the lists above I might add the Woolwich ferry, one that I know well, and of course the Ferry cross the Mersey!

Smaller ones like the Weymouth ferry are really not essential, but if it keeps someone occupied with very little overheads then good.