A Hampshire county councillor is urging a government minister to 'throw his support' behind attempts to save the Hythe Ferry.
Malcolm Wade has asked Simon Lightwood, parliamentary under-secretary for local transport, to voice his support for the service, which has been suspended for almost a year.
It stopped running in August 2024 after a mooring pontoon at the end of Hythe Pier was found to be unsafe.
In a letter to Mr Lightwood, Cllr Wade, who represents Hythe and Dibden, said the ferry provided residents with an alternative to the A326.
He added: "The ferry also plays a key role in the wider Hampshire's transport network, forming part of both the Solent Way and King Charles III's England Coast Path.
"It is part of a cycle route and serves as a vital gateway for tourism, bringing thousands of visitors from Southampton, including cruise ship passengers, to the New Forest and surrounding areas."
READ MORE: Local authorities reject plea to help save the Hythe Ferry
Cllr Wade said recent delays on the A326 and the Redbridge Causeway could have been avoided if the ferry had been running.
"The lack of an operational ferry is a great loss to the local area, its commuters and tourists. The Hythe ferry company wants to develop the service further but the pontoon problems have prevented this so far.
"Red Funnel the parent company, are working on getting the pontoon repaired.
"However, whilst the initial £250k costs have been significantly reduced to get the ferry pontoon fixed, it is taking an extremely long time to get it back and running."
Cllr Wade added: "The whole process could do with a raised profile, which you, as parliamentary under secretary for transport, could provide.
"If you could throw your support behind getting the ferry operational by writing to Red Funnel, and publishing that fact, it would be a great help."
READ MORE: Operator issues long-awaited update on future of the Hythe Ferry
The letter also asked Mr Lightwood to identify any funding pots that could help finance the necessary repairs, adding: "That would be very useful in pushing to get the work done quicker."
As reported in the Daily Echo, Red Funnel has said it hopes the ferry service will resume "by the end of summer".
Fran Collins, the company's chief executive, gave the update in a letter to Hythe and Dibden Parish Council last month.
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