Thurrock Council: Future of ferry funding is being discussed

Finding support from businesses with workers reliant on the ferry was one possibility under consideration.

The future of the service was raised by Thurrock MP Dame Jackie Doyle-Price at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday.

“So many people are using that ferry service to come to work in Tilbury docks and the incumbent expansion of the Thames Freeport," she said.

The Prime Minister responded “he would encourage” local councils to “consider the importance of cross river transport”.

Thurrock's Labour group has written to the transport secretary Mark Harper stating there was "no alternative route for the vast majority of these journeys".

A ferry service has operated between Essex and Kent on the River Thames for centuries.