Ferry lottery money bid sunk as costs go too high.

PLANS to use lottery cash to restore a cross-river ferry service in Northumberland have been sunk.

Hopes for a return of the old River Blyth ferry - which was axed in 1997 after operating for 130 years - were given a major boost two years ago.

A pounds 1.2m plan to re-connect Blyth town centre with Cambois and North Blyth on the other side of the river was part of a package of green transport schemes which secured pounds 50m in Lottery funding following a national TV vote.

A year ago it was proposed that a floating "river bus" - similar to one already operating across the Mersey in Liverpool - should be brought in to run a combined ferry and bus service linking the three communities.

But now it has emerged that the plan to bring back the ferry has been dropped because a study has concluded that the running costs would be too high.

Sustainable transport charity Sustrans, which was responsible for the successful Connect2 bid, is now working on alternative plans involving cycling and walking routes.

Yesterday Les Paton, chairman of the Cambois community association, said most locals would not be at all surprised at the news.

He said: "A lot of us never thought bringing back the ferry would be cost-effective because there are not enough people going across the river.'' A Sustrans spokeswoman said: "Sadly, due to the severe economic downturn, the river crossing is no longer viable, but a revised scheme has been developed in its place which will be of even greater value.''

CAPTION(S):

SCEPTICAL Les Paton.