Maintenance issue sees Mersey Ferry cross-river and river cruise series suspended for a second day – but the ship canal cruise will go ahead. Tony McDonough reports
A “reoccurring maintenance issue” has seen services on the Mersey Ferries suspended for a second day.
It means the cancellation of commuter services between the Pier Head and Seacombe in the morning and evening rush hour as well as the regular hour-long River Cruises that normally take place throughout the day.
However, the Manchester Ship Canal Cruise will go ahead on Tuesday as planned. This takes tourists from the Mersey, up the Manchester Ship Canal to Salford.
In a statement, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority said: “The Mersey Ferries have been temporarily suspended due to a recurring maintenance issue.
“The ferries team and specialist contractors are working hard to get this resolved. We apologise for the inconvenience and thank customers for their patience.”
Both existing ferries – Snowdrop and Royal Iris – have been dogged by maintenance issues in recent years. The vessels are decades old and the daily workload places a heavy strain on them.
The Combined Authority is currently overseeing the construction of a new Mersey Ferry at the Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead. Costing £26m, the vessel will be called Royal Daffodil and will come into service in summer 2026.
On Tuesday Mersey Ferries said a bus replacement service will operate both ways between Seacombe and Hamilton Square during the morning and evening rush hours.
It added: “We apologise for the inconvenience that this may cause.”