Blue paper tickets to travel on the chain ferry between Studland and Sandbanks in Dorset will not have an expiry date imposed, following protests on the first day of its new online ticket system.
A new barrier-free payment system for ferry travellers was introduced on Wednesday 1st July 2026, replacing traditional toll booths with an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system that allows drivers to pay remotely.
Payment for travel on the Sandbanks Ferry has moved online
Loss of jobs
The new system has been controversial, not least because it meant job losses for those who collected the money in the toll booths, but also because the ferry company wanted to impose an expiry date on the books of paper tickets once they were swapped for online tokens.
In the past, books of the paper tickets have been sold, mainly to frequent users and local residents, without any expiry date.
But with the introduction of the online payment system, ferry users were told that the car and van tickets (which are now worth £6.26 each) would expire after two years once they were converted to tokens. If they didn’t use them, they would lose them and their worth.
Many bought the paper tickets in bulk when the ferry company offered a double discount on the tickets in November 2019, following a difficult financial period for the company.
The ferry had been out of service for months over summer 2019 due to a broken drive shaft, so the huge injection of cash into the company helped it get back on track at the time.
The barriers have gone and the ANPR cameras have been installed
“This is basic contract law and it’s unlawful”
Speaking before the ferry company’s change of heart, Tim Rayment who still has around 800 paper tickets now worth about £5,000 said:
“If you are in a contract you can’t just impose new conditions. There’s no cut off date on postal stamps and there’s no cut off date printed on the ferry tickets. This is basic contract law and it’s unlawful.
“When the ferry company needed the cash, those of us who could, bought the tickets in bulk, so we shouldn’t be treated unfairly.”
Robin Hampson who has about 140 tickets, now worth about £875 said:
“Sadly, coming across the ferry is now considered a treat for many. The 12 miles saved by using the ferry, can be lost if there’s a queue.
“Over time Bournemouth has lost its attraction as a place to visit, so I am unlikely to use up my tickets quickly.”
Sadly the shutters are down in the toll booths but the introduction of technology which has been used for years in other parts of the UK was inevitable eventually
For years, ferry travellers have used paper tickets with no expiry date
Blue paper tickets to be ‘evergreen’
The company has now agreed with holders of the blue tickets that the paper tickets don’t have an expiry date.
In a statement, chair of the Sandbanks Ferry Company Mike Kean said:
“Our aim throughout is for every paper ticket holder to feel the transition has been handled fairly.
“As paper tickets carry no expiry date, we are pleased to confirm that unused paper tickets brought into the Ferry Office by 31st March 2027 will be exchanged for evergreen ANPR Tokens on the same basis, with no end date applied.”
ITV Meredian arrived at Shell Bay car park to interview the campaigners
Erin from the Bournemouth Echo (centre) listened to the concerns of those who had paper tickets
“No one wanted to fall out with the ferry company”
Reacting to the news, Studland parish councillor Lynette Hool said:
“We are delighted – no one wanted to fall out with the ferry company over this. We like to have a good relationship where we support their business and they support us.
“We were only asking for what we already had – tickets without an expiry date.
“Many of us bulk bought the tickets in 2019 – yes, because they were reduced – but also the ferry had been out of action for a long time and we were worried there might not be a ferry if it didn’t get a quick injection of cash.
“The paperwork clearly stated the tickets wouldn’t expire so we felt confident to buy more. I know people who still have 800, 600, or even 100 tickets, who would have struggled to use the tickets over the next couple of years. We are all very pleased the ferry company has changed its mind over this issue.”
Traffic flowed freely on the first day
A queue built up at the ferry office
A few teething problems
Considering it was the first day of the new online payment system, plenty of vehicles were using the ferry, although some still stopped at the toll booth window a little confused as to why they couldn’t pay, as expected.
The ferry office was busy with people queuing to get their paper tickets or their old plastic ferry toll card account transferred over to the new online account.
In the thick of it was Mike Kean’s daughter Rosie, who is also a director of the ferry company, who was efficiently dealing with a barrage of customer enquiries.
Some ferry users reported problems with their online accounts not showing the correct number of tokens, although others said the correct number had appeared later in the day.
There is also an issue for those with white paper tickets which are for cyclists and motorcyclists.
To use them for a motorcycle, the paper tickets need to be transferred online into tokens but a cyclist needs to retain the physical ticket to hand it to a member of staff of the ferry.
Of course, a person may not know in advance how many times they need motorcycle tokens versus cyclist tickets.
The ANPR cameras are reading the number plates
Watch out for a £30 fine
The ferry company says the change to the new payment system removes the need to stop and pay at the toll booth, significantly reducing queuing on the Studland side during busy periods, making journeys quicker and smoother.
The ANPR cameras which automatically read a vehicle’s number plate have been installed at Shell Bay. The cost of a crossing remains the same with the payment entirely online, either before travelling or by midnight on the day following a crossing.
If a ferry user doesn’t pay then they will face a fine of nearly £30 plus the cost of the crossing.
Payment may be made on a pay as you go basis or by creating an account, which can be set up via the ferry company’s website or with the help of the ferry office staff. An app will be available soon.
This change to payment by ANPR applies to vehicle and motorcycle crossings only. Pedestrians and cyclists are not affected and will continue to pay for crossings by cashless payment as usual.
Chair of Sandbanks Ferry company Mike Kean was interviewed by ITV Meredian
Full statement from chair of the Sandbanks Ferry Company Mike Kean
“We are aware that the transition to our new ANPR payment system has prompted a number of questions from ferry customers who still hold paper tickets.
“Paper tickets have not been sold for several years. Customers who still hold unused paper tickets are warmly encouraged to bring them to the Ferry Office, where our team will convert them into Tokens on their ANPR account.
“To ensure this process is accurate and consistent for every customer, we ask that tickets are brought in as complete, sequentially numbered books wherever possible.
“We do not yet have a complete picture of how many unused paper tickets remain in circulation, and we would encourage anyone holding them, in any quantity, to contact the Ferry Office so that we can assist.
“We have set 31st March 2027 as the date by which we are asking customers to bring any remaining unused paper tickets to the Ferry Office for conversion into Tokens, giving customers clarity on their balance.
“Our aim throughout is for every paper ticket holder to feel the transition has been handled fairly. As paper tickets carry no expiry date, we are pleased to confirm that unused paper tickets brought into the Ferry Office by 31 March 2027 will be exchanged for evergreen ANPR Tokens on the same basis, with no end date applied.”
Further information
- FAQs and step-by-step guides covering the move to ANPR, including paper ticket conversion, is on the Sandbanks Ferry website
- The ferry company is encouraging customers to telephone or email the Ferry Office at email@sandbanksferry.co.uk to arrange a convenient time to visit and exchange their tickets
