Gagetown group wants province to commit to ferry service

A group in Gagetown is calling on the provincial government to make a commitment to returning ferry service in the spring.

Wilf Hiscock, who speaks for the Save GagetownFerry group, says losingthe service would be a major blow.

"It would be devastating for the residents ... it's no different than shutting down the WestmorlandStreet bridge [in Fredericton],"he said.

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The free cable ferry, whichcrosses the St. John River betweenGagetownand LowerJemseg,is notallowed tooperate during the winter.

In a post on its Facebook site, the group says it haslearned that Transport Canada won't license the ferryfor the 2016 season, "unless the provincial government would make a commitment to replace our ferry with a new one or at least another ferry approved by DOT. It is our understanding that no commitment was ever made by the provincial government."

Sarah Bustard, a spokesperson for the province's Finance andTransportation and Infrastructure departments, saysthe cost of replacing the ferry is estimated to bein the millions of dollars.

"The province is in the process of reviewing the decisions it will have to make as part of the 2016-17 provincial budget," she said in anemailto CBCNews.

Hiscock says he's concerned budget cuts will mean the end to a vital service in his community.

"People have businesses to run. We have workers travel every day ... safety is always a concern," he says, pointing outthe ferry is the shortest route for ambulance, fire and police. He says it's also a tourist attraction.

"It's no different than a covered bridge to us," he said.