Cumbria County Council have announced changes to the Windermere Ferry following a motion demanding changes tabled by Windermere Councillor Ben Berry. The move comes after locals and visitors experienced months of frustration and delays as a result of the installation of new ticketing machines by the Labour and Lib Dem-led Council.
Councillor Berry, who was elected to represent Windermere back in May this year following months of campaigning to get the County Council to make improvements in response to the complaints. He tabled a motion at a meeting of the Council on Thursday 29 June demanding the implementation of a “payment solution which is swift, secure, and available on board whilst also safeguarding the income which the Ferry generates.”
Whilst welcoming the Council’s action, James Airey, Leader of the Conservative opposition on Cumbria County Council, emphasised that that the Council now needed to build on these improvements.
“We are glad that the Council are finally making the changes to the ferry payment system, but the Council have taken months to respond and have only done so now as a direct result of the election of a Conservative Councillor who was able to put forward a motion demanding action.”
“This whole matter could and should have been dealt with more swiftly by the former Lib Dem Councillor and portfolio holder. There is still a long way to go before the ferry is the world-class facility that a World Heritage Site deserves and we will be pushing for further improvements.”