Mayor commits £4.5m to new landing for Shields Ferry

The cash from the Transforming Cities Fund will go towards a £14.6m facility at North Shields Fish Quay, Kim McGuinness said. A contractor search has now begun.

Nexus operates the Shields Ferry, which connects North and South Tyneside via a seven-minute journey every 30 minutes. Around 400,000 journeys a year are made by the service.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness, elected in May, has made public transport a priority, in line with other metro mayors such as Greater Manchester’s Andy Burnham and West Yorkshire’s Tracy Brabin, who last week launched consultation on a new tram system.

At a cabinet meeting later this month, the Mayor will recommend formally signing off £4.58m from the region’s TCF programme towards the overall cost of the project – the remaining funding is listed in the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement programme.

The current North Shields landing is at the end of its life and urgently needs to be replaced, Nexus said, The body has now began the process of tendering for a specialist contractor to build the new ferry landing.

Kim McGuinness, North East Mayor, said: “The Shields Ferry is a historic part of our transport network taking pride of place on the iconic banks of the River Tyne. It’s an essential link for many people to get to work and brings together communities on the North and South of the river.

“I am wholly supportive of North Tyneside’s plans to revive the Fish Quay and give it a new lease of life. The Shields Ferry service is a vital part of this exciting future, but it urgently needs investment so that it can be enjoyed by residents for many years to come.

“I will improve public transport for local people and make sure we get the investment we need for vital projects such as this which are incredibly important for our communities. I will be recommending to cabinet in July that we approve the first part of the funding needed and we’re already working to secure the remaining investment through our City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS). Together we will safeguard the future of the Shields Ferry.”

The Fish Quay and surrounding areas are a key regeneration priority for North Tyneside Council. Heritage Action Zone funding has been put to work in Northumberland Square, with the next step being a supplementary planning document to guide development in the area – this will be discussed by the council’s cabinet next week.

Welcoming the NECA support, Cathy Massarella, managing director of Nexus, said: “We welcome the new Mayor’s support for this exciting project, which will secure the long-term future of the Shields Ferry.

“Creating a new north landing for the Shields Ferry is of vital importance for this iconic local transport link.

“There is strong and widespread support for a new ferry landing within the region and we’re excited to work with North East Mayor Kim McGuinness to be able to take this major project forward. This will ensure a really bright future for the Shields Ferry and once funding is confirmed, we hope to start design work on the new north landing next year, with construction early 2026.

“We considered several options for the North Shields ferry landing before finalising this proposal. It makes good sense to relocate the landing into the heart of the North Shields Fish Quay regeneration area, with its close proximity to the town centre and the Riverside Walkway. In this location we can continue to serve commuters while growing a new leisure and family market linked to local attractions and restaurants.”