James Wild MP has welcomed confirmation the West Lynn Ferry is expected to return to service by the summer following agreement to carry out interim repairs to the damaged landing site on both sides of the river.
The ferry, which connects West Lynn and King's Lynn, has been suspended since January due to structural issues. These problems were uncovered as remedial works were taking place, revealing more significant defects, including the poor condition of the historic Rennie Jetty alongside the West Lynn steps.
Many constituents have since contacted James to raise concerns about the prolonged suspension of the service. In response, he called for a meeting with the Council to review progress and has committed to working collaboratively with local authorities to ensure the service is restored as soon as possible.
James Wild MP said:
“The ferry is a valued service and I welcome the plans to get it back running in the summer. Many constituents have contacted me since it stopped in January and I’ve raised it regularly with the local councils. I am grateful for the collaborative efforts of the borough and county councils, the harbour master, the Conservancy Board, and others involved. I will also work with them on longer-term plans to ensure a sustainable future for the ferry.”
Councillor Michael De Whalley, cabinet member for climate change and biodiversity at the borough council, said:
“Firstly, I wish to empathise with how frustrating the ferry closure has been for users of the service, but the Borough Council has made safety paramount in its efforts to reopen it.
“There are a number of key elements, each of which had to be addressed separately on both the King’s Lynn and West Lynn sides. The most significant being the impact of the Rennie Jetty, which is situated a few inches alongside the West Lynn steps, which is in a poor state of repair. The jetty is an historical asset in the river, about 190 years old, and which has passed through a number of river authorities in its history.
“There are some minor works for the operator to do, which we hope will be completed in the next few days and once done, we will push forward with our programme of works, and as they are tide related, only then will we be able to give a timeline.
“I want to thank colleagues at Norfolk County Council and the conservancy board for their kind assistance as well as officers at West Norfolk for their commitment to reopen our historic ferry service as soon and as safely as possible.”
With regeneration a key pillar of his Plan for King’s Lynn, James has also welcomed the confirmation that £150,000 has been committed for medium-term infrastructure improvements to support the development of long-term plans for the service.
