A BOROUGH councillor has called on Thurrock Council to keep the restoration of the Tilbury-Gravesend ferry very much in the public eye.

Stanford and Corringham independent councillor Roy Jones has been an ardent supporter of the campaign to bring the ferry back after its closure in March last year when Thurrock and Kent councils were not able to reach agreement on subsidising the service.

Last week Cllr Jones took part in a radio debate about the future of the ferry service, and spoke in glowing terms about efforts now being made by campaigners and councillors in Kent to restore the service.

He particularly praised the work of Gravesham Green Party campaigner Rebecca Drake-Hopkins in formulating a petition which has so far seen "very good response," and commended officers and Labour MP Jen Craft for their diligence on the matter, although he was critical of the lack of perceived action by Thurrock Council.

Cllr Roy Jones challenged Thurrock Council's record on the Tilbury Ferry issue at last week's council meeting and called for it to be kept 'in the public eye'.

And he raised the matter at last week's full council meeting, saying it appeared the council were trying to play down any hope of restoring the service and had marked a motion he proposed about the ferry service as 'completed'.

He argued that was far from the truth when councillors were asked to 'note' an update on previous motions.

Cllr Jones rose to challenge, saying: "Can I have a point of clarification please. On my motion regards the Tilbury ferry crossing, it says the actions has been completed.

"We haven't got a ferry back, yet. To my mind it isn't completed. So why does it say 'completed'? Can we have it 'ongoing'."

Mayor Cllr Sue Shinnick, under guidance from CEO Dr Dave Smith, said: "We will reply to you in writing, OK?"

Cllr Jones rose and said it wasn't, saying: "I'd like it to be in the public eye because this is either still ongoing, with negotiations, to try to reinstate this ferry, or it is not. So I want this in the public eye, not just coming back to me."

Cllr Victoria Holloway then rose to answer, saying: "As this comes under my portfolio though I can't account for democratic services marking it as complete, I assume it's probably marked as complete because the motion itself asks all parties to seek funding from the community and other sources, which we are doing.

"We are continuing to have meetings with partners; we are holding workshops in a number of weeks.

"I am more than happy and that's why its probably marked as completed because we are doing what you asked in the motion.

"However, I'm very happy to keep it updated from a position point of view and keep it in there with any update or alternatives rather than provide an answer to you directly."

Kent Council, since being run by the Reform party following May's elections, has been far more active in the public domain about the service.

A recent statement says: "Since the ferry service stopped on 1 April 2024, we have been actively involved in discussions led by the Thames Estuary Growth Board to explore how the ferry service might be reinstated.

"This dedicated working group – which includes other local councils, stakeholders, and potential ferry operators – has been looking into whether the service could return without public funding.

"This has included exploring commercial models based on increased passenger numbers and higher fares.

"However, the findings so far show that even with these changes, a significant subsidy would still be needed to make the service viable.

"This level of funding is beyond what we (KCC) or any single organisation can provide alone. The group is now focused on identifying alternative funding sources that could help support the reintroduction of the service.

"While there is no guarantee that the necessary funding will be found or the service will return, positive discussions are continuing. We remain fully engaged in this process and committed to working with partners to explore all viable options."

Rebecca Drake-Hopkins

She told Kent Council's environment and transport committee the loss of the service, which was last run by commercial operator JetStream, had negatively impacted its regular users.

She told councillors: "A high proportion of frequent users indicated that it was used to access support and amenities in the form of doctors, hospital and other healthcare, essential food shopping, social activities or caring responsibilities.

"Cross-river journeys are now longer and less straightforward, putting additional pressure on the already over-used Dartford Crossing and surrounding roadways.

"The ferry cancellation has also had a significant impact on businesses in the

Gravesend town centre who are reporting a noticeable downturn in revenue, and in some cases, closures."

Gravesend business owners previously called for the service to be restored after reporting drops in trade, which even caused some to close down.

Kent County Council, which was a subsidiser of the service, was unable to make up the funding shortfall after Thurrock withdrew.

According to KCC papers in the last full year of operation, 113,000 journeys were made on the service.

They add: "At the point of cessation (in March 2024), the cost of providing the ferry was forecast as being £440,000 of which £230,000 was expected to be met by passenger fares, leaving a subsidy requirement of £210,000."

Mrs Drake-Hopkins added: "I am aware that the service operated with financial subsidies from KCC, however, there are previously unexplored possibilities for improving revenue if it were reinstated.

"There are many ways in which the existence and convenience of the ferry could be communicated to people locally, including the argument that it would be an appealing and economical alternative to using the Dartford toll crossing.

"Connecting the infrastructure across Gravesham/Kent and Tilbury/Essex could make the ferry a central point for public transport north from Kent into Essex and beyond.

"Further, the opportunity to promote the ferry as a tourist attraction should not be ignored and could be utilised as a unique selling point as part of Gravesend's maritime history."

A petition started by campaigners has so far garnered around 2,400 signatures.

The issue is now in the hands of the Thames Estuary Growth Board, a government-appointed body, which has set up a working party seeking fresh avenues for funding.

The working group consists of KCC, Thurrock Council, Gravesham council, the Port of London Authority, the Port of Tilbury and prospective ferry operators.

It seeks to explore the "opportunities to reinstate the service either through a different commercial and contractual model that would not require subsidy or through the identification of other funding partners", according to KCC papers.

Campaigner Rebecca Drake-Hopkins handed her petition to Cllr Rich Lehmann and Cllr Stuart Jeffery.

Cllr Drake Hopkins, whose petition described the service as "vital" to people and businesses, said: "Obviously, it is important not to get too excited because there is still a lot of process to go through.

"The loss of the ferry has a had a negative impact on a lot of people. But I am pleased that the petition was well-received and we're hopeful."

The working party has warned that in updating operating costs, even with "significantly" increased passenger fares, there would still be a "subsidy requirement".

The papers add: "It is not immediately obvious where this subsidy may come from, and this matter is being taken up by the growth board who we believe to be engaged with multiple agencies including central government."