£300k boost for bid to revive historicTowy ferry crossing

PLANS to revive an ancient passenger ferry crossing in Carmarthenshire have received a cash boost of £300,000.

Under the ambitious new plans, the service could be reinstated across the River Towy estuary between Ferryside and Llansteffan, with scope to even extend the service to Laugharne, around the coastline of Carmarthen Bay, at a later date.

The idea was first raised earlier this year and, if successful, would see the resurrection of a service that was last run in the 1950s, but has a long history dating back to medieval times.

The aim is to call it Carmarthen Bay Ferries and the committee behind the venture has secured £300,000 from the Coastal Communities Fund.

Due to the tidal nature of the estuary, a special craft is being commissioned for the service and is being built in Pembrokeshire. Les Jones of Carmarthen Bay Ferries said: “The craft will have retractable wheels and be able to come ashore. Otherwise we would have had to build longer jetties on both sides.”

The ferry has its roots in the Norman period when they had control of Carmarthen – some seven miles upstream – and castles at Llansteffan, Laugharne and Kidwelly.

However, into the 1920s and 1930s the ferry proved a popular destination for miners on holiday

Carmarthen mayor Alun Lenny, a former journalist, said: “I remember covering stories on the ferry 30 years ago when there were talks then about bringing it back. Of course nothing happened but this grant funding makes it an exciting time now.”