Windermere Ferry Price increase

We are dismayed that Cumbria County Council has increased the fares for foot passengers and cyclists by 100% on the Windermere Ferry, while the fares for cars and car plus trailer or caravan have only increased by 12%.

In a time of increasing awareness of the perils of climate change and the pollution caused by vehicles, we think they should encouraging sustainable forms of transport such as walking and cycling not financially favouring cars.

The new fares will make it more expensive for a group of three cyclists to use the ferry than it would to take their car across the lake with the bikes attached to the back. A family of five may as well take their car on the ferry rather than travel as pedestrians as the cost will be the same.

This decision to significantly increase prices for cyclists and pedestrians is likely to mean more cars on the narrow, winding roads on the west shores of Windermere; an area really not capable of accommodating an increase in vehicular traffic.

At a time when two of the local authorities in Cumbria have declared Climate Emergency, if Cumbria County Council was seriously committed to reducing climate change impacts, it would ensure that travelling by foot or bike on the Windermere Ferry was less expensive than by car.

We urge the County Council to reconsider the price rises for pedestrians and cyclists in order to make these sustainable travel modes more attractive to visitors to the Lake District.

Read our letter to Cumbria Council here

Old prices:

New prices: