THE FUTURE of the historic Fleetwood to Knott End ferry service is once again under threat of sinking as Wyre councillors meet to decide its fate.

Members of the council's Cabinet committee are due to meet to discuss future funding and terms of operation for the 100-year-old ferry on Monday, November 8.

As previously reported in The Citizen, the future of the ferry was first called into question in December last year after Wyre Borough Council objected to funding the service, which is in need of modernisation.

An invitation for tenders for the new service, which involves a new £450,000 vessel, more accessible ferry slips and year-round operation, has only turned up two potential operators.

One of these is the current summer service operator, Wyre Waste Management, of Fleetwood, who were previously deemed too expensive by the council.

But the fate of the new service - which is estimated to cost Wyre a minimum of £36,500 in its first year, rising to around £49,000 in subsequent years - has yet to be decided.

The Cabinet are now expected to try and extend an offer from Lancashire County Council to cover 50 per cent of the ferry costs for a guaranteed three year period, to a further seven years.

They are also expected to discuss ways to match another offer, from the Countryside Agency, to pay a one-off contribution of £25,000 which would extend the service into the winter months for the first year.