Mersey Ferries is thanking commuters and tourists for their patience and understanding following a run of poor service.





Following an incident on a Manchester Ship Canal Cruise in July, the Royal Iris only came back into service this week.

The ‘Dazzle Ferry’, The Snowdrop, is unavailable to takeover services as it is currently undergoing its regular maintenance service in dry dock so it is ready for use during the Wirral loop line track renewal works from January.

Said Gary Evans, who has operational responsibility for the Mersey Ferries, said:

“The fact that our Mersey Ferries service hasn’t been as reliable as we would like recently is frustrating not only for us, but understandably commuters and tourists. Other factors such as a restriction on the Manchester Ship Canal, so we couldn’t run our cruises, have led to a disappointing season for Mersey Ferries.

“There have been a number of unforeseen circumstances in a short time period, including an incident back in July which took the Royal Iris out of service for three months, as well as a number of mechanical issues, compounded by a need to carry out regular servicing. We will be doing our upmost to get a service up and running again as soon as possible.

“We are particularly focussed on having both ferries ship shape for the forthcoming Wirral track renewal work as the Mersey Ferries will be one of the transport alternatives cross-river. We also want to get them ready for the 2017 season so we can start to repay our customers for their loyalty and restore the service they expect.

“The Mersey Ferries are nearly 60 years old, meaning that the maintenance demands are increasing with each year that passes. That is why new vessels are an intrinsic element of our 20 year Mersey Ferries strategy which aims to keep the Mersey Ferries on the river for generations to come.”