A financial package for Gosport Ferry is close to being agreed by Government and Local Authorities. 

Gosport MP, Caroline Dinenage, has been working with Ferry bosses, colleagues in Government and local councillors for nearly two months to find a financial solution to help Gosport Ferry.

Caroline has facilitated meetings with the Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, and Maritime Minister, Kelly Tolhurst. The Transport Secretary took a personal interest in Gosport Ferry and last week asked his officials to coordinate an urgent response with Local Authorities.

This has reportedly produced a financial package of around £90,000 so far, in addition to the significant support provided by Government through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Business Interruption Loan Scheme – where the Ferry have been successful in securing maximum £5M funding. 

Commenting, Caroline said: 

‘The Transport Secretary understood how vital Gosport Ferry is for our area and our calls for an urgent resolution to this. I am grateful for the personal interest in this taken by him, his Ministers and officials.

In addition to furloughing staff through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, and securing the maximum funding available through the Government’s Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, these efforts have led to an additional package of support for the Ferry from Local Authorities.’