South Hams District Council have raised the fares for the Dartmouth Lower Ferry.

The Harbourmaster has recently completed a thorough examination and review of the current ferry charges, and concluded that some small rises will be necessary in order to maintain the excellent service that the ferry provides.

An adult foot passenger ticket will remain the same at £1.50, but the return fare will be withdrawn in line with other Ferry services across the Dart.

Large vehicles which take up two car spaces will increase to £10 per journey, while motorcycles will increase by 80p to £3.00 per journey.

Regular users of the ferry will still be able to purchase multi-trip tickets, which offer the best value for money. For foot passengers these multi trip tickets work out at 62p per journey, while cars and vans can cross for as little as £1.30 per journey. Multi trip tickets are available from the Ferry office or on board the ferry itself.

Councillor Rufus Gilbert, Executive Portfolio Holder for Commercial Services, said: "Of course no one likes to see charges rise, and the Council doesn’t particularly enjoy raising them, but in this instance we feel it’s the right thing to do to protect this wonderful facility.

"The ferry probably began in response to local demand for horse drawn carts needing to get across the river, and as transport methods continue to develop it will need to be updated and maintained. Motorcycles now take up a great deal more room on the ferry than they used to, and more and more visitors to the area are bringing caravans and trailers. These travellers will see the biggest increase in their fares, but we still feel that they offer excellent value for money.

"Future-proofing a service which has been running since the 18th Century is quite a challenge. The Council is determined that this historic ferry will continue to run, and remain a much loved part of Dartmouth life for many years to come."

At the most recent full council meeting of Dartmouth Town Council, councillors and residents highlighted the potential impacts upon the town from raising the cost of public transport services.

Cllr Paul Allen highlighted the consequences of the possibility of rising prices of the lower ferry which travels between Dartmouth and Kingswear. He referred to a report submitted by district councillor Hilary Bastone which said there are about 350,000 passengers and vehicles carried on the lower ferry every year.

The town councillor questioned why the prices were going up if so many people use the ferry. In addition, he said the raising of fares could create great issues for a town that depends on visitors.

Cllr Bastone was unable to attend the meeting, but fellow district councillor Rosemary Rowe said she didn’t know the full facts but said “we have to keep those ferries running”.

She thusly suggested that the council should write to Cllr Bastone for him to answer their queries.

A member of the public, Mr Mitchell similarly raised the issue of the ferry in conjunction with his belief that increasing costs is impacting the number of people in the town.

He remarked that Dartmouth had recently been looking very quiet, for which the car parking charges and ferry charges could be a reason.

He said the council should be working hard to keep these services at a reasonable rate otherwise there will be some “changes” impacting the tourism and shopping scene within the town.