last Ferry to Tilbury?
The last ferry to Tilbury leaves Gravesend.
The Jacob Marley leaves Gravesend for the last time. It's 7 pm on Saturday, March 30th 2024, and the sun literally sets on a ferry service that has carried passengers between Tilbury and Gravesend for 1,000 years.
The crew, Sean and Brian, are wonderfully cheerful despite their imminent redundancy. As 7 pm approached, there was a last rush of regulars leaving the pub, catching the ferry home.
The ferry's cancellation is another symptom of the funding crisis hitting local authorities across the UK. Since 2017, Jetstream Tours has operated the ferry service, which has been jointly funded by Kent County Council (KCC) and Thurrock Council.
After a series of failed investments, Thurrock Council is effectively bankrupt, having amassed debts of £1.5bn. It recently passed an 8% council increase rise.
In a statement, Jetstream said, "Regrettably due to ongoing concerns and uncertainties presented around future funding and an abandoned procurement process by Kent County Council for longer-term prospects, Jetstream Tours has been unable to enter into negotiations with the council. Further short-term extensions to our existing contract sadly are not tenable for our business and staff."
A Kent County Council spokesperson told the BBC, "It is disappointing that the Gravesend to Tilbury ferry has had to halt its service.
"We have worked hard to try to secure an extension to the contract while we find a long-term future for the crossing, but this has not been possible.
"Supported by the results of our recent public consultation, we will continue to work to secure a sustainable long-term solution for the ferry."
The ferry provided a vital link to residents on both sides of the river.
For many, it wasn't a pleasure cruise but a vital public transport link without a viable alternative. Now that the service has been terminated, it seems far less likely that it will resume.
We must reduce the pressure on the region's roads and tackle the looming climate crisis. To do that, we need to invest in better public transport provision, not allow a service with over 100,000 passenger journeys a year to wither away.
