The Woolwich Free Ferry is a boat service across the River Thames, London, UK, which is licensed and financed by London River Services, the maritime arm of Transport for London. The service is operated by Serco Group under licence from TfL and carries both foot passengers and vehicles.[1]
The service links Woolwich in the London Borough of Greenwich with North Woolwich in the London Borough of Newham. It also links two ends of the inner London orbital road routes: the North Circular and the South Circular.
History
A ferry service had operated across the river at Woolwich since at least the 14th century. The free ferry service was instigated by Sir Joseph Bazalgette using powers granted in the Metropolitan Board of Works (Various Powers) Act 1885.
The service was officially opened on 23 March 1889. Two days before this happened the Metropolitan Board of Works was replaced by the London County Council (LCC). The LCC continued to operate the ferry until it was replaced by the Greater London Council (GLC) on 31 March 1965. After the abolition of the GLC in 1986 the responsibility for operating the service was taken over by the London Borough of Greenwich. Ownership and operating rights were subsequently transferred to Transport for London (TfL), but the London Borough of Greenwich continued to operate the ferry on behalf of TfL.[2]
In March 2008, the London Borough of Greenwich announced that it would cease operating the service from 30 September 2008. On 12th September 2008 TfL announced that Serco Group would take over the operation of the service from 1 October 2008. The contract runs until 31 March 2010.[1]
Fleet
The current three vessels (built in Dundee in 1963 by the Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company to replace the previous four paddle steamers used since 1923) were each named after prominent local politicians: John Burns, Ernest Bevin and James Newman (Newman was mayor of Woolwich, 1923-25). This continued a practice started in 1923 with The Squire (named after William Squires, another former mayor of Woolwich), and in 1930 with the Will Crooks (Labour MP for Woolwich, 1903-1921) and the John Benn (Sir John was a member of London County Council, Liberal MP for Wapping, and grandfather of Tony Benn).
The ferries feature Voith-Schneider propulsion systems for manoeuvrability. They carry lorries and other road traffic across the river, plus large numbers of foot passengers (licensed capacity: 500 passengers and 200 tonnes of vehicles).
Service patterns
On weekdays, the ferry operates from 6.10am until 8pm with a two-boat service (10 minutes nominal interval between sailings); on Saturdays, from 6.10am to 8pm with a one-boat service (15 minutes nominal interval, and the last south-to-north sailing is 15 minutes earlier at 7.45pm); on Sundays, from 11.30am to 7.30pm with a one-boat service (last south-to-north sailing at 7.15pm).
Nearest alternate crossings
If the ferry service is not operating (it may occasionally be suspended due to fog during its normal hours), pedestrians can use the nearby Woolwich foot tunnel from Woolwich to North Woolwich.
The nearest vehicle alternatives are the Blackwall Tunnel about two miles (3 km) upstream to the west, or the Dartford Crossing some ten miles (16 km) downstream to the east.
Future of the service
An extension of the Docklands Light Railway, from King George V station under the river to Woolwich Arsenal station, is due to open in early 2009. In 2004 planning applications were submitted for a new bridge, the Thames Gateway Bridge, close to the location of the Woolwich Ferry. However a final decision on building this bridge has been deferred, and it has been reported that the incoming Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, intends to scrap plans for the Thames Gateway. [3][4][5]
These two developments will, if and when completed, provide alternative and faster cross-river connections for pedestrians and vehicles respectively, and are likely to impact the ferry service. However the exact effect is presently indeterminate.
External links
References
Coordinates: 51°29′46″N 0°03′43″E / 51.4961, 0.062
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