The Last Ferry to Tilbury

Saturday 30 March 2024: At 7pm the Jacob Marley leaves Gravesend for the last ferry crossing to Tilbury. — Saturday 30 March 2024: At 7 pm, the Jacob Marley leaves Gravesend for the last ferry crossing to Tilbury.

The Sun Sets on a One Thousand Year Ferry Service

The Jacob Marley leaves Gravesend for the last time. It’s 7 pm on Saturday 30 March 2024, and the sun sets on a ferry service that has carried passengers between Tilbury and Gravesend for 1,000 years.

The crew, Sean and Brian, are wonderfully cheerful despite their imminent redundancy. The ferry prepares to leave, and there is a rush as regulars leave the pub, catching the ferry home for the last time. The pubs won’t be the only of Gravesend’s businesses to lose trade once the link between the two riverside communities has been cut.

The entrance to the pier inn Gravesend. — Entrance to the Town Pier and Gravesend’s departure point of the Thames ferry. Built in 1834, the pier, designed and built by William Tierney Clark, is the oldest cast iron pier in the world.

The ferry’s cancellation is another symptom of the funding crisis hitting local authorities across the UK. Since 2017, Jetstream Tours has operated the ferry service, which has been jointly funded by Kent County Council (KCC) and Thurrock Council.

After a series of failed investments, Thurrock Council is effectively bankrupt, having amassed debts of £1.5bn. It recently passed an 8% council tax rise.

The Gravesend-Tilbury ferry makes a crossing on its final day of service.

Brian (right) whiles away the time during one of his last ferry crossings.

“In a statement, Jetstream said, “Regrettably, due to ongoing concerns and uncertainties presented around future funding and an abandoned procurement process by Kent County Council for longer-term prospects, Jetstream Tours has been unable to enter into negotiations with the council.

Further short-term extensions to our existing contract sadly are not tenable for our business and staff.”

A family take selfies on the last day. — A family take selfies on their last opportunity to cross the river by ferry.

A worker changes the branding on the walkway. — A worker changes the branding on the gangway.

A small donation box for the crew sits on the counter.

A Kent County Council spokesperson told the BBC, “It is disappointing that the Gravesend to Tilbury ferry has had to halt its service.

We have worked hard to try to secure an extension to the contract while we find a long-term future for the crossing, but this has not been possible. Supported by the results of our recent public consultation, we will continue to work to secure a sustainable long-term solution for the ferry.”

The ferry prepares to leave, and there is a rush as regulars leave the pub, catching the ferry home for the last time.

The Gravesend – Tilbury Ferry is a Vital Link

The ferry provided a vital link to residents on both sides of the river. Two communities that have been joined for over a thousand years are now separate again.

For many, it wasn’t a pleasure cruise but a vital public transport link without a viable alternative. Now that the service has been terminated, it seems far less likely that additional funding will be found to restart it.

A member of the crew pushes off the gangway for the last time. — Brian pushes off the gangway for the last time at the start of the Jacob Marley’s final crossing.

We know we need to reduce the pressure on the region’s roads and tackle the looming climate crisis. To do that, we need to invest in better public transport provision, not allow a service with over 100,000 passenger journeys a year to wither away.