A number of Weymouth Town Councillors have been exploring options over recent months to attract a ferry service back to Weymouth harbour. Cllr Tony Ferrari, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, Assets and Property, with special responsibility for Regeneration and Development in Weymouth, has agreed the deadline of 30 June 2022 for this work with town councillors in order to inform the Harbours Strategy and the wider development plans for the Peninsula.
If a ferry service were to return to Weymouth harbour, it would significantly influence the future development of the Peninsula. Should it be found that it is not viable to attract a ferry service back to Weymouth harbour, alternative uses for that area will be considered to ensure that the site supports the harbour and contributes to the economic regeneration of the town.
Weymouth Town Councillors leading the ferry service exploration work have been asked to provide quarterly updates on progress over the course of the next year.
Meanwhile, over the coming year, Dorset Council officers are preparing for future development of the Peninsula, including ground condition work. A bid for funding for the Peninsula was also included in the Levelling Up submission for funding from Government, submitted last week, to help regenerate the area.
Cllr Tony Ferrari said:
“The Peninsula is one of the most important locations in Weymouth and we should deliver something truly ambitious and transformative on the site. We need to work closely together to achieve the maximum potential either with or without a ferry service.
“We’ve had recent conversations with the Pavilion, and I am keen to see the ongoing provision of arts and music on the Peninsula. Later this year, we intend to engage local residents, businesses and developers and have a public conversation about people’s aspirations for the site.”
The loss of a ferry service is one of the greatest losses of our decade for Weymouth’s economy.
Not only attracting transient visitors, staying overnight to catch early ferries, it is an opportunity list for us locals to travel easily to France and the Channel Islands.
Wouldn’t it be great to connect the ferry service to the railway. Err wait a minute, all the track has been ripped up. Forward thinking at it’s best.
The tracks that were removed from the roads were not fit for the use of trams or trains in any safe capacity.
If is imperative we get the ferry service back here in Weymouth. Poole is a nightmare to get in and out of especially for Channel Islanders who are not familiar with driving in such congested and poor road layout as Poole.
I know a lot of friends and family were horrified when the service moved there, it adds an hour to a journey onward to other locations in the U.K.
If the Council decide against Weymouth it maybe worth considering the vastly under-utilised facilities at Portland where there is absolutely no problem in relation to the size of the vessel. It would take the traffic away from Weymouth and land for development is readily available and cheaper thus attractive to investors
The return of a ferry service to the Channel Islands and France would be a huge boost to the town. Weymouth has lost so many attractions for locals and holidaymakers alike in recent years, including the ferry services. I very much hope that an interested ferry operator can be found.
I agree we should have the Ferry back. We need something to regenorate the town and put Weymouth back on the map. I would be lovely to have day trips to the Islands again.
Along with everyone else I would love to see a ferry service return to Weymouth. However it has to be a financially viable prospect for any operator to consider committing to it. Weymouth does not enjoy the best of road links so you have to look at where the prospective cross channel travellers are likely to come from. The chances of any customers coming from the East are pretty remote as there are established ferry routes from both Portsmouth and Poole, both of which have much better road links than Weymouth does. (The last mile or so into Poole isn’t perfect, but it’s only a short distance that’s irksome) Plymouth is another ferry port to the West of us, and that is basically just off the bottom end of the M5 which is the main arterial route down the West of England. Realistically anyone coming from the East isn’t going to drive past one, let alone two, ferry ports. Anyone coming down the West of England is unlikely to divert off the M5 at Taunton and come to Weymouth down second rate single carriageway roads when they can basically keep going, down motorway class roads, to Plymouth.
So whilst I wish the council every success in finding a ferry operator willing to commit to operating a service I would imagine any operator is going to be looking for some form of concession out of the council in respect of berthing costs etc.So can the council actually afford to basically subsidise an operator to run a ferry service out of Weymouth? Don’t lose sight of the fact that the council gets its income from us, the council tax payers, and our council tax rates are amongst the highest in the country!
Why did Condor pull out of Weymouth, go to (and stay at) Poole? Probably because Poole offered them a better deal than Weymouth which is hardly surprising when you compare the difference in incomes of the two councils.
So keep your hopes up by all means, but don’t hold your breath!
Delighted that all these issues are being considered.
Geoffrey Hales MBE, born in Weymouth in 1936 and started what developed into a highly successful sailing career after my time in the RN
What they said!!!