Ferry secured: three-year funding confirmed for Fleetwood to Knott End service

Ferry secured: Reform Lancashire confirms three more years of funding

The Reform administration at Lancashire County Council has made clear that it will fund the Fleetwood to Knott End Ferry for a further three years, providing certainty for passengers, crew and local communities.

The current contract expires in April 2026, which led to public concern, petitions and a number of conflicting claims about the ferry’s future.

County Councillor Alice Jones, Lancashire County Council’s representative on the Ferry Working Group, said many of those claims were simply inaccurate:

“The Labour and Conservative opposition pounced on this as an excuse for political point-scoring and outright rubbish. They pushed a series of blatant untruths dressed up as party-political broadcasts — from falsely claiming Reform Lancashire refused to provide funding, to spreading the lie that we were only offering one year of support instead of three.”

She added:

“It descended into farce when Lorraine Beavers, Labour MP for Blackpool North and Fleetwood, released a Facebook video on 27 November 2025 accusing Reform of a so-called ‘U-turn’, supposedly triggered by a video she posted earlier that month. It was nonsense from start to finish.”

In reality, the Reform administration had always been clear that the decision would be confirmed after the Full Budget in February, a timeline that was set out during a Ferry Working Group meeting in November 2025.

Ahead of Christmas, Cllr Jones spent two days speaking directly with passengers, crew and local residents.

Speaking after those discussions, Cllr Jones said:

“People had heard the rumours, but most understood that the official decision was always scheduled for February.”

Reform Lancashire has now confirmed the outcome: a full three-year funding commitment, delivered jointly by Lancashire County Council and Wyre Borough Council.

Cllr Jones welcomed the decision and confirmed the administration’s long-standing position:

“Since 1841, the Wyre Rose has been a vital link between Fleetwood and Knott End. We always intended to secure its future, and I’m pleased we can now confirm its continued operation for years to come.”

Councillor Matthew Salter, who represents Wyre Rural Central including Knott End, said:

“I’m proud that Reform is supporting the ferry. I know how much it means to residents of Knott End and Preesall, and to communities right across Over-Wyre. You can depend on Reform to put the interests of our residents first and to cherish the heritage of Lancashire.”

Councillor Warren Goldsworthy, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport at Lancashire County Council, said:

“The contract for the Fleetwood to Knott End ferry service is issued and managed by Wyre Borough Council in partnership with the county council. Discussions are ongoing between the operator and both councils on how to sustain the ferry in the future and how the service can be maintained in the long term.

It is important that we work together to develop a sustainable future for the service, and Lancashire County Council is proposing to maintain funding for the next three years while working with Wyre Borough Council on longer-term plans.”