'Find the funds or negotiate' - Future of Fleetwood-Knott End ferry in doubt amid council funding dispute

The Fleetwood to Knott End Ferry is “at risk again”, with Blackpool North MP Lorraine Beavers claiming that Lancashire County Council will not pay its share of the subsidy while LCC insists funds are the responsibility of Wyre Borough Council.

The MP has criticised the county council over the issue, saying: “They are the Transport Authority, it's their job to keep Lancashire's transport going but yet again, our ferry is at risk because they won't pay,” the MP posted on social media. “With all the challenges our local businesses currently face, how can losing this vital infrastructure be right?

“Protecting this ferry costs just £40,000 out of Lancashire's £1.329 billion budget. It's subsidised transport just like buses to rural communities, educational travel, and ferries all over the country.

“While Fleetwood works to rebuild with £20 million investment and more exciting plans coming soon, the last thing we need is Lancashire County Council removing more of our public services. To the local County Councillors for Fleetwood, this ferry means a lot to our communities, it's connected us for 100 years.

“It's not just a way for people from Knott-End, Fleetwood and beyond to connect and access services it's part of our life and our history.”

What Lancashire County Council says

Cllr Warren Goldsworthy, cabinet member for Highways and Transport, said: "We recognise the importance of the Fleetwood to Knott End Ferry and agreed funding of £57,110 a year to support the service for the next three years. We met our commitment and have paid our contribution for 2026.

“A significant amount of funding was also provided for the purchase of the ferry which has been handed over to the operator. However, after the funding arrangement was agreed we were asked to provide a significant additional contribution.

“We consider every financial decision carefully and, if we had agreed to pay this, then money would have been taken away from budgets already agreed to support services that people in Lancashire rely on.

"The contract to run the Fleetwood to Knott End Ferry is the responsibility of Wyre Council, and as we have already paid our half of the subsidy, they will need to find the additional funding requested or negotiate with the operator."

Uncertain future

The future of the ferry was thrown into doubt earlier this year, before a last-minute reprieve was announced in April. At the time, Wyre Council confirmed that an agreement had been reached to keep the Fleetwood-Knott End ferry operating, securing its future on a temporary basis.

The announcement followed several days of uncertainty after it was revealed that the service could cease operating, prompting concern among residents, businesses and local politicians. Wyre Council said it had held “constructive discussions” with operators, resulting in an agreed approach that would allow the ferry to continue operating in the short term.

The authority said it had been working intensively to explore “all realistic and deliverable options” to protect what it described as a vital service for local communities, explaining that the agreement provided “short-term certainty”, while work continued to find a more permanent solution for the service.

Updates on the long-term future of the ferry - which the council acknowledged was an important transport link as well as a valued part of the area's identity - have not since emerged, with a lack of viable bids from operators prompting concern.

The uncertainty also provoked a strong reaction from residents and campaigners, alongside calls from MPs, for the future of the route to be secured. Wyre Council said it would continue working with partners to establish a sustainable long-term arrangement, with further updates expected as discussions progress.