Mersey Ferries services have been suspended for a fifth consecutive day due to a mechanical issue with the Snowdrop's engine. A statement from Mersey Ferries on its website this morning (Wednesday, October 14) confirmed the cancellation.
Bus replacement in place
A bus replacement for the commuter ferry service is operating between Hamilton Square and Seacombe. The full statement said: "Mersey Ferries services are currently suspended. Commuter service AM/PM - Bus replacement between Hamilton Square and Seacombe. We will provide a further update as soon as more information becomes available. Please note that tickets for the Liverpool Sightseeing River Cruise are currently unavailable. We apologise for any inconvenience caused."
Technical issues and fleet changes
The ferry operator, which comes under the management of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, has cited "technical issues" for the disruption and pointed out that the Snowdrop is the only vessel operating on the route. Earlier this year, the Royal Iris ferry was retired from service and decommissioned after 67 years. Iris will be replaced by the new, £26m Royal Daffodil vessel, which is expected to enter full service later this month. The new Mersey Ferry is currently completing its final trials on the water.
A spokesperson for the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority said: "Due to a mechanical issue with the Snowdrop's engine, we are unfortunately currently unable to run our commuter and Liverpool Sightseeing River Cruise services until further notice. Passengers travelling on the morning and evening commuter services can continue their journey using the replacement bus service, which operates between Seacombe Ferry Terminal and Hamilton Square railway station. Although the Royal Daffodil was undergoing initial passenger trials last week, the vessel has not yet entered full passenger service and is currently unavailable. We have engineers working on site with the Snowdrop and hope to have this issue resolved as soon as possible. We apologise for any inconvenience that this has caused and will provide further updates as soon as we're able."
