Latest News from Hulmes Ferry.

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3rd May, 2019.	The Ferry is now open for 2019
	I visited the ferry today and had a wonderfull trip. The A57 was difficult to cross into boysnope ind. est. , dodging a never ending flow of speeding traffic. The entrance is also difficult to see:- The entrance to the new redirected Public Right of Way lies behind this giant autobase sign and the vehical blocking the entrance and is now enclosed with metal railings. The metal railings put up to prevent Autobase from obliterating the path with dissused lorry trailers. Having negotitated the A57 and the giant signs the path is a little unfinished and rough till you are alongside the crane hire place where it becomes smooth all the way to the jetty. On reaching the jetty its like stepping into another world, peacefull and tranquil with only the flutter of swans and ducks breaking the silence. Then a tap on the ferry gong or bell and along comes the new ferry with the new friendly and helpfull ferry person to take you safely accross, all for FREE! I was going to take a stroll through the Millenium park only 50 yards up from the ferry jetty but unfortunately it was temporarilly closed due to a vandalized bridge. Hopefully it will re-open very soon. The trip took a few minutes, cost nothing and was a pleasure. The alternative ( a long trek by road over the motorway bridge ) caught in heavy traffic can take as much as 3 hours causing stress and some expense. It would be a great shame if the vandals and bullys stopped what in my opinion is one of the best attributes Irlam has. It is your right to have this facility that has survived two world wars and is provided Free of charge. Use it or lose it! Your crossing will be logged and this helps keep the service in place. The more usage it gets, the more improvements the service gets.
18th April, 2019.	The new ferry Boat has arrived!!!
	The new ferry is now been tested and approved. We have retained the look and feel of the popular 'Bollin' and should easy be able to transport bicycles, pets, prams and kids and what have U accross in safety. The ferry remains FREE of charge. Please continue to support this by using the service as much as possible. The passenger numbers make a big difference to gaining improvements to the ferry, the access path and the service. It is your right to have this service but if it isn't used they may drop back to rowing boats, let the path disintigrate again and that will leave it open for Peel to cease the service they are obliged to provide. I am looking forwards to having a trip on the new ferry myself ( as a passenger this time ) but I will be busy preparing my catamaran for its ocean crossing at the start of the ferry season.
16th January, 2019.	Your Free Ferry Service is set to resume on Friday 3rd May, 2019.
	The ferry timetable has been set and posted on this website. Whilst the times are inadequate for people wishing to get to work or use the ferry year round as requested and obliged by law, the times are the best we could get with the funding provided. Please continue to support it by using it. Every crossing counts and the numbers give us leverage to keep the service going and get improvements made. The access path has been extended to almost the main road. However it is still hard to find. At the time of writing as pointed out by others the sineage is poor and as yet the council still havent errected proper signs for it. Plus theres a giant Autobase sign covering the entrance with an estate car parked in front of it. Also it remains hard to cross the fast, busy section of the A57 to get to the entrance. Cycle paths are still not linked to the access path and there is no bus stop there. For some reason they have found money to put cycle paths and traffic lights to every other place but the ferry. Sadly our popular ferry boat sustained some collision damage last tuesday whilst docked at Runcorn. We are hoping that a new boat of similar type can be put in service before the start of the season.