Ferry service under threat

Proposals that could see the closure of the Woolwich ferry, which has been free for more than a century, has been condemned by Unite.

Unite said that the threat to the ferry, whose history stretches back to 14thcentury, comes from Transport for London (TfL) that is working on a package of new river crossings for south-east London -  one of which would result in the closure of the Woolwich Free Ferry.

Unite has 26 members - crew, electricians and road traffic teams – working on the ferry service which carries more than 3,500 vehicles and 5,000 passengers a day across the Thames between Woolwich and Greenwich.

“We are very proud to be able to say that it is our members who run and maintain this fantastic service,” said Unite regional officer Onay Kasab.

“The Woolwich Free Ferry is not just a historic tradition – it is, in fact, a vital part of today’s capital transport infrastructure,” he added.

“We have members whose families have worked on the ferry for generations and Unite believes that the ferry should be there for future generations to use.

“A free ferry is something that is worth campaigning to save and now we must all join together to fight to preserve it. Unite will be part of that fight.”

A petition, begun only four days ago, has already garnered more than 7,000 signatures. Interested in signing to save the Woolwich ferry? You can find it here.