The under-threat Shields Ferry is set to be saved by a new funding pledge.
North East mayor Kim McGuinness has pledged a cash injection that will allow for the building of a new north landing for the popular river crossing. A question mark has hung over the future of the Shields Ferry for years, with repeated warnings that the service was at risk of shutting down because of the poor state of its existing jetty in North Shields.
There have been fears that the landing could deteriorate into an unusable condition by 2025 and transport bosses have been trying to secure the money needed to build a £14.6 million replacement closer to the North Shields Fish Quay, but have suffered a number of setbacks and seen costs spiral. However, it has now been confirmed that the long-awaited development is finally set to go ahead.
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Shields Ferry and Tyne and Wear Metro operator Nexus confirmed on Monday afternoon that Ms McGuinness is set to commit £8.2 million to cover the project’s funding shortfall, adding that the existing jetty “urgently” needs replacing and that it had begun the process of procuring a contractor for the scheme. The mayor added: “The Shields Ferry is a historic part of our transport network taking pride of place on the iconic banks of the River Tyne.
"It’s an essential link for many people to get to work and brings together communities on the North and South of the river. I am wholly supportive of North Tyneside’s plans to revive the Fish Quay and give it a new lease of life. The Shields Ferry service is a vital part of this exciting future, but it urgently needs investment so that it can be enjoyed by residents for many years to come.
“I will improve public transport for local people and make sure we get the investment we need for vital projects such as this which are incredibly important for our communities.” She added: “Together we will safeguard the future of the Shields Ferry.”
Council leaders already agreed earlier this year to reallocate £4.58 million of unspent funding from the Metro Flow project, a dualling of the railway line between Pelaw and South Shields, to the Shields Ferry scheme and there has been a clear expectation that the remaining funds required would be signed off once the new mayor took office. Final approval for that piece of money is expected to be granted by the North East Combined Authority’s cabinet next week, while a further £8.2 million is now earmarked to come from the North East mayor’s allocation of the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS).
It is hoped that construction work on the new landing will start in 2026, though the region’s full CRSTS proposals must yet be submitted to the Government before funding is released. Ms McGuinness and other candidates in the recent North East mayoral election had committed to backing the ferry during her campaign, when asked by the Local Democracy Reporting Service to commit to securing its future.
Nexus previously lost £5.6 million from the Government’s Getting Building Fund because it could not meet a “strict” timescale which would have required the construction works on the new ferry landing to be completed by spring 2022. The project was then included in a Levelling Up Fund bid from North Tyneside Council for a wider regeneration of North Shields, but the application was unsuccessful, while the price tag of the new jetty jumped from £8.8 million in 2020 to nearly £15 million today as inflation hit.
Dame Norma Redfearn, the elected mayor of North Tyneside, welcomed Monday’s announcement as “brilliant news for the residents, businesses and communities along the banks of the River Tyne”. She added: “We have bold plans for North Shields and our historic fish quay, delivering this connectivity by securing the ferry service will help to boost those plans and attract visitors, support residents, and help our businesses. The ferry landing is a rich part of our history and has been a heartbeat of our communities for years, it will be part of a bright future as part of our ambitions for the borough.”
Ferries have long been a vital link between communities on either sides of the Tyne, with various forms of river crossing said to have existed for at least 750 years. Nexus itself and the North East Local Enterprise Partnership have also previously committed funding to the new landing project.
Cathy Massarella, managing director of Nexus, said: “We welcome the new mayor’s support for this exciting project, which will secure the long-term future of the Shields Ferry. Creating a new north landing for the Shields Ferry is of vital importance for this iconic local transport link.
“There is strong and widespread support for a new ferry landing within the region and we’re excited to work with North East Mayor Kim McGuinness to be able to take this major project forward. This will ensure a really bright future for the Shields Ferry and once funding is confirmed, we hope to start design work on the new north landing next year, with construction early 2026.
“We considered several options for the North Shields ferry landing before finalising this proposal. It makes good sense to relocate the landing into the heart of the North Shields Fish Quay regeneration area, with its close proximity to the town centre and the Riverside Walkway. In this location we can continue to serve commuters while growing a new leisure and family market linked to local attractions and restaurants.”
