Thurrock Labour calls for government to help Save Tilbury Ferry

Thurrock Labour Calls for Government to help Save Tilbury Ferry

Senior Thurrock Labour politicians have today written to Transport Secretary, Mark Harper asking the Government to intervene to secure the immediate future of the Tilbury to Gravesend ferry.  

Kent County Council has announced the withdrawal of all funding from this vital transport link.  The cash strapped County Council had been covering Thurrock’s ferry subsidy after Thurrock Council went bust.  

It has now announced the withdrawal of all the Ferry’s funding from March 2024, which puts the future into immediate jeopardy.

Councillor John Kent, Leader of Thurrock Labour Group and Jen Craft, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Thurrock have written to the Secretary of State for Transport. They have asked Government Ministers to intervene to secure the immediate future of the historic crossing until a long-term solution can be found for the thousands of local people who rely on the ferry every day to get to work or school, 

Cllr John Kent said:
“This is clearly a direct consequence of the Conservative chronic mismanagement of Thurrock’s finances, but we’ve asked the Minister to intervene to keep this ferry running.  

“We will work with all interested parties and local groups to find a way to secure the long-term future of this historic ferry.

Jen Craft added:
“I have fond memories of using the ferry with my parents and cousins growing up – it is such an important part of Thurrock history and cultural heritage.  

I hope the Minister appreciates the urgency and intervenes to ensure this is not one more way local people are made to suffer because of the Tory Council’s reckless financial decisions.”

The full text of the letter is below:

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Dear Mr Harper

Future of Tilbury-Gravesend Ferry

The Tilbury to Gravesend Ferry is an ancient river crossing that forms an important part of the cultural heritage of Essex and Kent, having been established by Royal Charter in the fourteenth century.  

Today it carries over 100,000 passengers annually and provides a small, but crucial piece of public transport infrastructure to the communities’ of Gravesham and Thurrock.  

Since 2000 it has been jointly subsidised by Kent County Council (KCC) and Thurrock Borough Council, however, due to Thurrock Council’s financial catastrophe which rendered the authority effectively bankrupt, it’s portion was has recently been met by KCC.

KCC have stated that from March this year, they will no longer be able to meet this cost and as it stands Thurrock are currently only able to fund core Council services, placing the future of this crossing in jeopardy. 

Although the numbers of passengers who use the service is relatively small, there is no alternative route for the vast majority of these journeys, including people who regularly commute to the Port of Tilbury and other key employers, children who attend school over the river and countless trips for shopping or leisure, contributing to the local economy on both sides of the river.  

We would be grateful if you could look into what measures your Department can take to ensure that the service is able to continue running after March of this year.

Yours

John Kent Jen  Craft

Leader of Thurrock Labour Group Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Thurrock