King Charles coastal path chaos as UK ferry crashes into liquidation | UK | News

The collapse of a vital ferry link led to King George III’s death. Just a few weeks after the opening of Charles’s new coastal road, his work was dealt a blow. Walkers planning to walk the 2,700-mile route from the Severn Estuary along the entire coast of England will now have to choose between taking a bus or walking ten miles on a dual carriageway. The coastal path, the longest of its kind in the world, was planned on the assumption that walkers would travel by ferry across the Southampton Estuary, but in an unfortunate turn of events the operating company was forced into liquidation a month after King Charles officially opened the route.

The ferry service has been out of service since August 2024 due to safety concerns regarding damaged pontoons and support structure. Despite this, England Coast Path signs continue to direct walkers in the direction of the out-of-go port, forcing those determined to explore the country on foot to “breathe the smoke” along a dual carriageway and navigate two footbridges in their path.

Zoe Langley-Wathen, 54, who walked 4,300 miles along the coast with her husband to raise money for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, said: Times: “It was really unpleasant because it takes you to the edge of dual carriageways and docks, very industrial areas.”

The prospect of taking a bus for 40 minutes instead is “a pretty big deal for long-distance hikers,” he added.

“They don’t want to be forced to take the bus,” he said. “This is a self-powered journey.”

A spokesman for the Hythe and Southampton Ferry Company said earlier this month that the company had decided to go into voluntary liquidation after “examining every possible avenue” to find grants, funding or another operator.

“In the last 18 months [we have] They added that “they are working extensively to find a sustainable solution that will enable the service to return. Unfortunately… no viable proposals or interested parties have emerged.”

The Ramblers Walking Association used the ferry firm’s collapse as an opportunity to call for King’s new path to include “a continuous walking route around Southampton Water that does not rely on ferry services”.

“We hope Natural England will move quickly to connect the route between Hythe and Southampton, eliminating the need for people to rely on public transport to complete this section,” the group added.

A spokesman for Hampshire County Council said: “Continuity of the Coast Path as an alternative to Hythe Ferry is currently provided via a bus service and Natural England supports this arrangement for public access.

“We are committed to working with Natural England to deliver access along the Coast Path, recognizing that maintaining continued access along a dynamic coastline like other parts of the country may be subject to change due to natural processes and other factors.”

The Express approached Natural England for comment.