The Wyre Estuary Ferry (colloquially known as the Fleetwood-to-Knott End Ferry) is a ferry crossing owned and operated by Wyre Marine Services in

Fleetwood Fleetwood is a coastal town in the Borough of Wyre in Lancashire, England, at the northwest corner of the Fylde. It had a population of 25,939 at the 2011 census. Fleetwood acquired its modern character in the 1830s, when the principal lando ...

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancash ...

, England. The crossing of the

River Wyre The River Wyre is a river in Lancashire, England, United Kingdom, which flows into the Irish Sea at Fleetwood. It is approximately 28 miles (45 km) in length. The river is a County Biological Heritage Site and has a sheltered estuary ...

, which is funded by Lancashire County Council and

Wyre Borough Council Wyre may refer to: Places * Wyre, Orkney, an island in Scotland * Borough of Wyre, a local government district in Lancashire, England ** Wyre (UK Parliament constituency) * River Wyre, a river in Lancashire, England * Wyre Forest, a woodland in ...

, takes around five minutes to complete. By road, the journey between the two points is , which takes around thirty-five minutes. The ferry operates daily between 7:45 AM and 5:45 PM, and can carry up to thirty-five passengers. No motorised vehicles are permitted. The current ferry is named the ''Wyre Rose''. It has 34 seats.'''' The crossing was established in 1841 by the Croft family, who operated it until 1893, when the Ferry Committee of the Improvement Act District of Fleetwood took it over. They leased the management of it to Newsham and Myerscroft.''A History of Blackpool, the Fylde and South Wyre''
– Nick Moore (2018), p. 288 A steam service followed in 1894, with the ''Nelson''. The Croft family regained ownership in 1895, and remained in charge until 1898. During this period, a new landing stage was built at Knott End in 1897 to accommodate a new ferry, the ''Onward'', which could carry 120 passengers. The Crofts tendered to retain control of the service in 1898, but the council opted to run its own vessels. The Onward, Quail and Nymph were purchased from the family, members of which were appointed to various roles, from ferry manager to general assistants.''A History of Blackpool, the Fylde and South Wyre''
– Nick Moore (2018), p. 289 In 1901, the ''Bourne May'' was added to the ferry fleet, followed by the ''Wyresdale'' in 1925. The ''Wyresdale'' remained the primary ferry for the next thirty years or so, with the smaller ''Pilling'' providing assistance during off-peak times. In 1905, around 10,000 passengers used the ferry in a single day, a record for the service. The ''Lunevale'' was brought in during 1935, followed six years later by the ''Caldervale'', which replaced the ''Pilling.'' In 1966, the ''Viking 66'' was brought into service, with the council chartering local vessels at times of its unavailability. The ''Wyre Lady'', which had formerly serviced the River Clyde, assisted for a short time, before taking over on its own by around 1985.'''' The ''Wyre Lady'' was succeeded by the ''Wonder'' in 1995, then by the ''Wyre Princess'' and the ''Harvester''.'''' The service was suspended between 2001 and 2003 and operated sporadically for much of the early part of the 21st century. It was reinstated on a full-time basis by Lancashire County Council in April 2006. They tendered the contract to Wyre Marine Services, at which point the service was renamed the "Wyre Estuary Ferry". The ''Wyre Rose'' is the current vessel used.'''' As of 2022, around 30,000 passengers use the ferry annually. File:Fleetwood ferry terminal building.jpg, Ferry terminal building, Fleetwood (2023) File:Fleetwood_ferry_at_berth.jpg, The ferry berthed at Fleetwood, looking across to Knott End

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fleetwood-to-Knott End ferry Ferries of England Fleetwood