Why the Torpoint Ferry still can’t run three boats

Commuters crossing the Tamar by ferry can expect another week of the same reduced timetable, with the operator setting out in unusually blunt detail why bringing back a third boat isn’t as simple as calling in extra staff.

Two ferries running through next week

Torpoint‘s ferry service will continue running two boats rather than the usual three, with a ferry leaving each side of the river roughly every 15 minutes. Tamar Crossings, the joint committee that runs the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry, confirmed the reduced timetable is staying in place for another week.

The committee acknowledged the disruption, saying it understands a reduced service can be frustrating, particularly for those who rely on the ferry every day and may also be dealing with other roadworks and diversions in the area.

Why crew, not boats, is the sticking point

The hold-up isn’t the vessels themselves. Each ferry can only operate with a set number of crew in specifically trained safety critical roles, and those roles can’t simply be covered by whichever member of staff happens to be free. When someone in one of those posts is unexpectedly unavailable, Tamar Crossings says it can be left without the crew needed to run that ferry safely at all.

Extra hours only stretch so far

Other suitably trained staff are picking up additional hours where they can, but legal limits on how many hours any one person can work put a hard ceiling on that. Tamar Crossings says it has to weigh up the extra cover available across the whole week and put it where it will do the most good, rather than spread it thin trying to keep three ferries running.

“This is not a decision we take lightly, nor is it simply a matter of putting another member of staff to work on a ferry at short notice,” the committee said.

No date yet for a third ferry

There is no confirmed date for a return to the full three-ferry service. Tamar Crossings says staffing levels and service levels are under continuous review, and the third ferry will return “as soon as we have the safety critical crew available to operate it.” In the meantime, it has asked passengers to treat crews with patience and respect, and thanked those who have already been understanding while the situation is managed. Further updates are promised as soon as there is confirmed information to share.

📷Credit: Tamar Crossings