More on the ferry landing debacle and confirmation passenger numbers are up on expected levels. 


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-66246970

i thought the shields ferry would just not be busy at all

(19 Jul 2023, 10:12 pm)Unber43 wrote i thought the shields ferry would just not be busy at all

It's a genuinely useful piece of public transport. I use it quite often for leisure purposes and my mates from around the country are always fascinated what a great service it is. Every time I use it there's a decent load of passengers too.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/articles/cz961v9y6e7o

£5m found

Does it make money?

(12 Apr 2024, 8:26 pm)Unber43 wrote Does it make money?

Don't know. Don't care. 
It provides a link that nothing else does or seems willing to provide. 

Said it before, but I do think the river should be utilised more.

Edit: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc...59afae5979

Numbers carried prior to covid.
420,000 was it's lowest number prior to covid hitting. 
Assuming half of those would be or could be using the tunnel via car, I'd say it's in everyone's interests to keep the ferry going.

(12 Apr 2024, 8:05 pm)Andreos1 wrote https://www.bbc.co.uk/articles/cz961v9y6e7o

£5m found

Appears that they're recycled this news story again, merely to get Kim's face on the cover: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...l-29645633

Chronicle article this week states "A total of £12.78 million was committed to the project by the North East Combined Authority's cabinet on Tuesday."

Yet they haven't actually committed anything. The article further breaks it down to:

• "An initial investment of £4.58 million was approved by the cabinet," - same figure quoted in the BBC article in April, before NECA existed.
  
• "A further £8.2 million from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement will be allocated in the coming months to ensure that the scheme is fully funded." - CRSTS was a product of the Tory Govt, so I'm surprised they've received the cash at all.
  

Odd, but good news!

One question that I can't see answered anywhere, is how they're going to deal with the extended journey time? The new ferry landing is supposed to be located as shown on the map below, but that'd make the crossing distance thereabouts twice what it currently is.



They generally only use the one ferry all day now, with a 7 minute crossing time and about 8 minutes turnaround. If the increased distance results in a crossing time of around 13 minutes, I'm not sure how they'll keep it running on time.