There is a push to return the Tilbury Ferry to full service after local businesses said they were suffering due to the fall in footfall.
The Gravesend to Tilbury ferry ran six days a week, with 100,000 passenger journeys each year. The crossing took about 10 minutes.
By car, the journey is around half an hour, while public transport can take about an hour and a half.
Business owners said the loss of the ferry had had a “massive impact” on the local economy.
The issue has been raised in Parliament, where Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he would work with her to find a way to bring the service back. Current Labour MP for Gravesend, Dr Lauren Sullivan has served as the Member of Parliament for Gravesham since the 2024, representing the Labour Party said she would support the cause, as she featured in a Politics TV programme on Sunday morning.
She said she will hold a summit on 16th October, bringing together councils, businesses and ferry companies to explore whether it can be restored.
The ferry was jointly subsidised by Kent County Council and Thurrock councils, but Thurrock Council withdrew its funding in 2023.
Kent County Council (KCC) continued funding the service alone until it stopped in April 2024.
A KCC spokesperson said “KCC part-funded and contracted the ferry service for more than 20 years and remained committed to its future. However, after Thurrock Council withdrew its funding in 2023, KCC could not afford to sustain the service alone and the ferry stopped running in April 2024. KCC would welcome the opportunity to see the ferry return, but this would require further financial support.”
