Only four years after the last public inquiry, the ferry company which operates between Sandbanks and Studland in Dorset is back asking for more money from its passengers.
The first day of the inquiry took place on Tuesday 21st January 2025, controversially in a building in the Port of Poole, having been moved from Studland village hall – the more convenient location for the majority of those who object to the toll rises.
Newly drafted-in planning inspector Kevin Gleeson will decide whether residents will have to pay more for the ferry
New planning inspector
The Sandbanks Ferry company is asking to increase the ferry tolls, reduce the bulk buy ticket discount which most favours local residents, and reintroduce a road toll for Ferry Road in Studland. It says this is in order to save enough to fund a replacement ferry in 2032.
There’s been an extraordinarily large number of objections to the ferry company’s plans. The public inquiry team says it has registered the complaints of 633 objectors.
The government appointed planning inspector Kevin Gleeson, who will deliver the judgement on the ferry company’s proposals, took on the role only a few days earlier, after the original inspector stood down due to illness.
He opened the inquiry by outlining the programme for the next six days of the hearing, declaring that he was a National Trust member, and admitting that he hadn’t had time, due to his last minute appointment, to visit the site of the ferry but he intended to do so over the next few days.
Ferry half full on a January lunchtime
Programme – January 2025
- Day one: Tuesday 21st – All day session from 10 am at Port of Poole ferry terminal. Opening statements followed by evidence from accountant for the ferry company Kevin Thomas
- Day two: Wednesday 22nd – Morning session from 9.30 am at Port of Poole ferry terminal with evidence from ferry company owner Mike Kean. Evening session from 6.30 pm at Springfield Country Hotel at Stoborough. Those giving evidence include South Dorset MP Lloyd Hatton and Dorset Council councillor for South East Purbeck Ben Wilson
- Day three: Thursday 23rd – All day session from 9.30 am at Port of Poole ferry terminal with evidence from Owen Clark from Dorset Council for the Consortium followed in the afternoon by Richard Wintrip from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council for the Consortium
- Day four: Friday 24th – Morning session from 9.30 am at Port of Poole ferry terminal with evidence from chair of Studland Parish Council Nick Boulter for the Consortium, followed by Swanage Town Council councillor Mike Bonfield for the Consortium
- Day five: Tuesday 28th – All day session from 9.30 am at Port of Poole ferry terminal with evidence from interested parties including The National Trust and individuals who wish to speak. A coach is being provided from Swanage for those who wish to attend on this day
- Day six: Wednesday 29th – All day session from 9.30 am at Port of Poole ferry terminal with closing statements from the Consortium and the ferry company
All sessions can be viewed in person by attending the venues or on YouTube
The ferry company is proposing the toll for a car will rise from £5.30 to £6.26 followed by annual CPI inflation increases, while the toll for a lorry will rise from £10.60 to £12.52 followed by annual CPI inflation increases
Ferry company proposals
As the ferry operates under an Act of Parliament, any changes like increasing the fares have to be approved by the UK Government’s secretary of state for transport, hence the latest public inquiry.
There have been public inquiries in 2004, 2006, 2009, 2014, 2018, 2021 and now 2025, which are time consuming and expensive for both the ferry company and the objectors which includes the publicly funded local councils.
It was agreed at the last public inquiry in 2021 that the ferry company could increase vehicle tolls by around three percent a year until 2031. This was estimated to be broadly in line with future inflation. However inflation shot up in 2022 to over 10 percent.
Now the ferry company wants to scrap the three percent cap and link back dated toll increases to RPI inflation and future increases to CPI inflation.
It also wants to reduce the discount in the bulk purchase of tickets from 28 percent for 10 tickets and 32 percent for 50 tickets, to 24 percent and 28 percent respectively, phased in over a four year period.
The additional new proposal by the ferry company, to reintroduce a road toll along Ferry Road, using ANPR (automatic numberplate recognition) has raised both complex legal and logistical questions.
The building selected at the Port of Poole was difficult to find and parking was expensive, which meant that Purbeck residents stayed away
Opening statements
There were three opening statements, the first by the legal counsel representing the ferry company, Paul Reynolds. It was followed by an opening statement by Joshua Dubin, legal counsel for the Consortium which opposes the ferry company’s plans.
The Consortium consists of Dorset Council, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, Swanage Town Council, Studland Parish Council, Langton Matravers Parish Council, Worth Matravers Parish Council and Corfe Castle Parish Council.
The third opening statement was from Studland resident Malcolm Tice, read by Eric Stobart.
The ferry company team
Ferry company
Paul Reynolds started by saying that the ferry company was presenting the proposals because it was necessary to do so. He said:
“Since 2021 the ferry company’s financial position has deteriorated compared with what was projected at the previous inquiry. This has several causes. First it follows that for sometime now the ferry company’s costs have increased above inflation. At the same time prices (of the tolls) have been capped at well below average inflation.
“…In addition to that, post Covid passenger numbers have not returned to their pre Covid levels and it seems relatively clear that they are unlikely to do so.
“…Together this has meant the company’s income and profit over the past four years has been significantly less than anticipated.”
He went on to say that this has led to a £3.9 million shortfall in the ferry replacement fund (FRR) and unless there is an increase in the tolls, the company won’t be able to buy a new ferry in 2032.
He added that for the company to remain viable it also had to make enough profit to provide a reasonable return to shareholders. There was also a mention of the proposed road toll to raise further income towards the purchase of a new ferry.
Paul Reynolds concluded that those opposing the proposals have not provided any viable alternative.
The counsel for the Consortium Joshua Dubin prepares to deliver his opening statement
The Consortium
Joshua Dubin rebutted the need for an alternative proposal and said the Consortium opposed the ferry company’s plans, despite some revisions. He said:
“Firstly the Consortium does believe the company has taken an overly pessimistic view of future traffic volumes…Next, the Consortium is concerned that toll increases generally will have a financial impact on the residents…(it) needs to be remembered that while there are very wealthy areas of Dorset, there are also hard pressed areas.
“…While the Consortium welcomes the use of CPI to determine any increase, we would submit that the cap of three percent a year imposed by the 2021 order should remain.
“First the cap and predicted CPI are essentially the same, and secondly the Consortium believes that limiting it to the three percent a year will still allow the company to fund the ferry replacement reserve adequately and eventually see a return on its investment.”
He then went on to add that the same financial stresses which impact the company, also affect the ability of residents to pay, hinting that the higher the toll, the less people will use the ferry.
A key concern was that the company’s proposals didn’t align with the local authorities’ joint transport plans, which they must follow. He said:
“A significant increase in the class F tolls of cars may drive vehicles away from the ferry increasing vehicle emissions and congestion on the A351 route.
“And also the increase of 75 percent on tolls for pedestrians, bicycles and motorbikes, well exceeds inflation…it does not encourage or promote active or environmentally beneficial travel.”
He went on to say that while the Consortium did not actively object to the proposal to introduce a road toll for the users of Ferry Road, it had significant concerns about its operation. He said:
“The Consortium must be satisfied to some degree that there is no legal impediment to the road toll, and secondly, the operation will generate the forecast income. Thirdly it will not interfere unduly with the current transport infrastructure like the local bus network.”
The Consortium welcomed the proposal for residents living in the BH19 postcode to buy an annual pass to use Ferry Road for £5 a year, but he asked for the scheme to be extended to Corfe Castle and Arne residents.
The Sandbanks Ferry is a lifeline for commuters and those attending hospital appointments
Studland resident Malcolm Tice
The third opening submission was a statement by Studland resident Malcolm Tice who was on holiday, so it was read out by another Studland resident Eric Stobart.
The statement is critical of the ferry company’s figures:
“Forecasts over a 10 year period can only best be described as a guess, and seem to be attempts to make the figures fit the argument that more money is required.”
It concludes with the following points:
“The inspector should reject this application on the grounds that the increase is not needed to replace the ferry.
“An increase in the tolls would unreasonably enrich the ferry company owners at the expense of the users of the ferry over the period 2025 to 2034.
“There is no obligation on the ferry company to replace the ferry vessel at the end of its useful life. The shareholders could just walk away with the cash mountain that continues to grow. Some method of safeguarding these funds is required.
“The directors of the ferry company should take steps to ensure that the FRR is no longer at risk from the bank guarantee and debenture. This is within the control of the directors. This is a matter of commercial negotiation with the ferry company bankers. It does not require an Act of Parliament. This unnecessary risk to the funds for the ferry replacement is unacceptable and easily resolved.
“The inspector should insist that details of the sale of the ferry company owner are made available to the Inquiry. This is necessary to assess the scale of the risk to the ferry company, the ferry vessel itself and the cash balance that represents the FRR.”
This building at the Port of Poole was chosen as a better location to hold the inquiry than Studland village hall
“The most inaccessible of venues”
Chair of Studland Parish Council Nick Boulter will be giving evidence to the inquiry on Friday 24th January 2025 but attended the opening session at the Port of Poole ferry terminal lounge. He said:
“The organisers have succeeded in finding what must be the most inaccessible of venues to hold this inquiry!
“Nearly everyone who has made this journey has had to be here – understandably there is only one member of the public here.
“Not only is it a ferry ride away from our local community but car parking is £15 a day.
“It’s disappointing that the inquiry was deliberately moved away from Studland village hall.”
It’s hoped Purbeck residents will attend the public inquiry’s evening session on Wednesday 22nd January 2025. It’s from 6.30 pm at the Springfield Country Hotel, Grange Road, Stoborough near Wareham BH20 5AL. Anyone is invited to just turn up and there’s free car parking.
Those scheduled to speak include South Dorset MP Lloyd Hatton and Dorset Council councillor for South East Purbeck Ben Wilson.
Further information
- Watch the public inquiry on YouTube
- Read the public inquiry documents
- Read the full opening statement by Malcolm Tice
