Scots firm wins ferry contract for London

SCOTTISH contractor Briggs Marine is to take over the historic Woolwich Ferry service that has operated across the River Thames in London since 1889.The seven-year contract from Transport for London (TfL) is worth more than £50 million to Fife-headquartered Briggs, which will begin operating the service from 1 April.

It will take on the 100 or so workers employed by current operator Serco, bringing the Scottish company’s total headcount to more than 600.

Briggs already runs a number of personnel transfer services throughout the UK and abroad, but Woolwich is the company’s first public ferry transport agreement.

The deal is part of a longer-term plan to extend the Scots firm’s operations. Managing director Collieson Briggs said the company was pleased to win the contract, which will see it work alongside TfL subsidiary London River Services.

Under the agreement, Briggs will also assume the maintenance of the TfL ferries Ernest Bevin, James Newman and John Burns.