Hayling Ferry: New service will transport people from Hayling Island to Witterings - when will it start running?
A new ferry service will soon be taking people from Hayling Island to the sandy beaches of the Witterings.
Currently, the only Hayling Island ferry service runs from the western end of Ferry Road to Eastney, Portsmouth.
But a second ferry service is being opened up - and is just a few weeks away from settting sail.
As of Easter weekend, there will be journeys from Sparkes Marina across the East Head, near West Witterings beach. The service will then run from 9am-7pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until October.
If the demand is there during the summer months, this could be extended to running seven days a week.
Each crossing will take 15 minutes, with Patrick White - founder of Chichester Harbour Charters - at the helm of the project.
Mr White is a sailor and powerboat racer, as well as being a member of Hayling Island Sailing Club since he was nine years old.
The new ferry service will charge £8 for a single ticket, £12 for a return, and a £1 supplement for bicycles.
It comes as another ferry in the Solent changes hands, with Gosport Ferry ownership being transferred from Falkland Islands Holdings to Thames Clippers.
There will reportedly be no changes to service levels or schedules, and no jobs on the ferry are at risk.