West Lynn’s ferry has returned – with dozens heading to the dock to see it hit the water.
The service has been closed since January after contractors discovered the landings had serious structural issues.
But this morning, operator Ben Ellis was happy to see a lot of his regulars again, as well as a few new faces, when he reopened at 7am.
“Since I have been shut, some of the customers have been using other transport, so they are probably still in the frame of mind to use that,” he said.
“But soon, they might turn around and decide to use the ferry when they realise we’re back open.
“Who wants to sit behind windows, contained in a bus, when you have got all this?”
Before crossing the River Great Ouse once again, reverend canon Adrian Ling, the rector of South and West Lynn, blessed the vessel.
Mayor Cllr Andy Bullen was one of the first to set foot on it, alongside his deputy Cllr Steve Bearshaw.
“So many people are committed to the ferry, and it’s held with a lot of affection locally,” the mayor said.
“It provides a wonderful service for our local community, along with people who travel from further afield. It is part of the rich history of West Norfolk.
“I would encourage anyone visiting here to pop on the ferry and give the short journey a go.”
Also in attendance was Cllr Michael De Whalley, who called for people to “make good use” of the service.
“If you live in West Lynn, Clenchwarton, Terrington or nearby, this is a golden opportunity to leave the traffic behind and embrace the historic ferry that has served our community since 1285,” he said.
One excited passenger, Emma Benefer, who came later in the morning, did just that.
She was using it to head into the town centre to get her nails done.
“You don’t realise how much you miss it until it’s gone,” she said.
“When it stopped, it felt really eerie and really strange because this has been going forever.
“I’ve been living here since 1991, and this is a brilliant service.”
Regulars were not the only people taking advantage of the ferry – some first-time passengers also made the trip.
Jordan Green brought her two children along and now plans to use it more often.
“It’s a lot easier and quicker to get into town, and it is very nice,” she said.
Earlier this year, residents staged protests urging West Norfolk Council to get the service restored as soon as possible.
Cllr Alexandra Kemp, who headed the campaign, has now thanked the authority as well as the county council for their work.
“Today is a day of great rejoicing in the borough as this vital transport service, Lynn’s 800-year-old ferry, reopened at 7am this morning with a crowd of passengers queuing up to cross the Ouse for the first time in seven months,” she said.
“The West Lynn ferry is King’s Lynn – it’s in our DNA.
“The message to everyone is, come back to the ferry, leave your car at home.”
She added that she has “fought tooth and nail” for the repairs, which she admitted are a short-term fix.
“We will continue to fight for the permanent wholesale replacement of the landing stages to put the ferry on a firm footing going forward,” she said.
