CONTROVERSIAL plans to introduce larger ferries on a busy cross-Solent route have been delayed by up to six weeks, it has been revealed.
The £10m vessels earmarked for the Lymington to Yarmouth crossing will be late arriving in the UK and are not now due to enter service until after the
summer.
Wightlink's hopes of introducing the Croatian-built boats in time for the busy holiday period have been dashed.
But harbour bosses have welcomed the revelation that the craft will not begin operating until after the sailing season, when the Lymington River is crowded.
The delay was announced at a meeting of Lymington Harbour Commissioners.
Harbourmaster Ryan Willegers said Wightlink wanted to introduce the ferries in time for the school holidays but the first commercial sailings were now unlikely to take place until September or even October.
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"It means the vessels won't enter service until the river is quiet," he said.
"Wightlink will then have six months to work through any operational issues before the river starts filling up again.
"Common sense suggests it would be preferable to introduce the new ferries after the height of the sailing season - and that's where we now find ourselves.
"Crews will have a whole winter of practical experience under their belt before the river gets busy."
The 1,496-tonne boats will displace almost twice as much water as the current craft, which were launched more than 30 years ago.
John Bence, chairman of the Harbour Advisory Group, cited concerns about the new ferries and fears that they might accelerate the erosion of the salt marsh. He demanded an assurance that the commissioners would monitor the impact of the vessels over the next three years. The chairman, Peter Griffiths, said: "We're planning to do far more than some of your members are giving us credit for. Your group should be satisfied that we're taking the whole thing seriously and will continue to do what's necessary."
Fellow commissioner John Clarke said the salt marsh was already disappearing at a "horrendous" rate and warned that drastic action was needed.
Two of the three new ferries were originally due to arrive either this month or next but are now unlikely to appear until August. They will undergo sea trials, expected to take several weeks, before entering service in the autumn.
Kerry Jackson, Wightlink's marketing manager, said: "We will be unable to introduce the new ships into service until after the main summer period."
Posted by: Andy, Locks Heath on 8:00am Fri 16 May 08
And how much of the salt marsh disappeared when you dug out the Marina near the old Sea Baths? And all the subsequent dredging to lay pontoons elseehere? Yes, that disappeared at a "horrendous" rate, didn't it - thousands of cubic metres of it in a couple of months - and seeing as there are no tidal locks on any of Lymington's marinas I'd say that the leisure industry is responsible for far more sea water erosion of the estuary every day due to increasing the salt water volume travelling up and down river each tide. But of course that's where the Harbour Commssioners and the LRA keep your yachts isn't it, so let's push all that to one side and blame everything on the ferries - even this "erosion" which is just something dreamt up as an issue and for which there is no evidence whatsoever.
And how much of the salt marsh disappeared when you dug out the Marina near the old Sea Baths? And all the subsequent dredging to lay pontoons elseehere? Yes, that disappeared at a "horrendous" rate, didn't it - thousands of cubic metres of it in a couple of months - and seeing as there are no tidal locks on any of Lymington's marinas I'd say that the leisure industry is responsible for far more sea water erosion of the estuary every day due to increasing the salt water volume travelling up and down river each tide. But of course that's where the Harbour Commssioners and the LRA keep your yachts isn't it, so let's push all that to one side and blame everything on the ferries - even this "erosion" which is just something dreamt up as an issue and for which there is no evidence whatsoever.
"He demanded an assurance that the commissioners would monitor the impact of the vessels over the next three years."
They need to be careful what they wish for. If as Andy (posting above) suggests the yachts as as much or more to blame the LRA will have some explaining to do. I believe that will then have to remove their yachts from the river - that is the decent thing for them to do surely?
"He demanded an assurance that the commissioners would monitor the impact of the vessels over the next three years."
They need to be careful what they wish for. If as Andy (posting above) suggests the yachts as as much or more to blame the LRA will have some explaining to do. I believe that will then have to remove their yachts from the river - that is the decent thing for them to do surely?
Posted by: Andy, Locks Heath on 11:26am Fri 16 May 08
Good point. And if there was a new Marina proposed on the Salterns with mooring fees half of the existing rates we wouldn't be hearing any talk of salt marsh erosion from the LRA! It would be full in three months.
Good point. And if there was a new Marina proposed on the Salterns with mooring fees half of the existing rates we wouldn't be hearing any talk of salt marsh erosion from the LRA! It would be full in three months.
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