Storm-hit ferry landing repair bill hits £245K
NexusEmergency repairs to a storm-damaged ferry landing are thought to have cost almost £250,000.
The Shields Ferry, which runs across the River Tyne between North and South Shields, has been out of action since late January due to damage to its north landing during Storm Chandra.
The service is expected to resume on Monday and while operator Nexus said final costs were yet to be confirmed, the bill is expected to be about £245,000.
The company's director of finance John Fenwick said: "The Shields Ferry is an essential and much-loved local transport link and we have worked tirelessly to ensure that the north landing is repaired so that crossings can resume."
A new £24m landing closer to the North Shields Fish Quay is due to open in 2027 to replace the current site at Smiths Dock.
The North Shields ferry landing, which was modernised in 2004, suffered damage to bolts connecting it to a walkway in the January storm.
Its condition had been a source of concern for some time, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, with repeated warnings over recent years that the ferry was at risk of permanent closure if a replacement could not be built.
Nexus said new monitoring equipment has now been installed to "observe any noticeable movement and will identify if any future temporary suspensions of the service need to happen".
Managing director Cathy Massarella said the landing "remains an aged asset".
She said: "The work we've carried out prolongs its use, but people can be reassured we are keeping a very close eye on the structure using this monitoring equipment."
