Renfrew Ferry, which has crossed the Clyde for more than 200 years, closes with immediate effect

The historic Renfrew Ferry has crossed the River Clyde for the last time.

The ferry , which connected Renfrew on the south bank of the river and Yoker on the northside for more than 200 years, suddenly announced yesterday (Saturday) that it would run no more.

The Renfrew to Yoker ferry has crossed The Clyde for the last time | Donald Stirling

The boat carried pedestrians and cyclists across the 200-metre stretch of the Clyde for a small fare and operated seven days a week without public subsidy.

But the opening of the Renfrew Bridge earlier in May led to a sharp fall in demand for the river crossing, making it unsustainable.

A statement from operator Clyde Link said its passengers and followers had “probably been expecting” the news given the arrival of the bridge.

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It added: “The ferry is closing effective immediately. Since the bridge opened the passenger numbers have gone down and this past week dropped to a level that it is no longer viable to keep running.

“We didn’t get funding but only passenger fares kept us going. A huge thank you from us to all of you that used the ferry some of you every day. Many became personal friends.”

While the bridge has taken away ferry passengers, it is also closed to traffic when a ship needs to sail through.

The statement added: “Yes the bridge is a real pain when it’s unavailable sometimes for hours but that’s just swinging bridge life and those of us that live locally will get used to it.

“So goodbye from all the Renfrew to Yoker staff it certainly is the end of an era, we will see you around!”

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The ferry has crossed from the slip at Renfrew since 1791, with the route the last one still serviced on the stretch of the Clyde closest to the city.

According to Paisley Heritage, the early ferries relied on ropes or chains fixed on either bank, which were pulled by hand.

In 1868, steam power was introduced to haul the ferries across the river. Larger boats were added to the fleet in 1897 and 1912 to accommodate the growing demand for transportation. The ferry was primarily used by workers commuting to and from the shipyards and factories located on both sides of the Clyde.

The ferry was passenger-only until the 1950s when the boom in car ownership led to larger ferries being put on the route so that drivers could cross with their vehicles. That ended in the 1980s with the opening of the Clyde Tunnel. One of the car ferries is moored at Broomielaw in the city and is now a nightspot, called the Renfrew Ferry.

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News of the end of the Renfrew Ferry prompted a strong reaction on social media.

One user said: “An end of an era - you’ll be missed .”

Another former passenger said: : “Sorry to hear this. We had a wee hurl on it last year as was always curious about it. It was fab. Glad we did. All the very best.”

Another passenger described the loss of the ferry as "another piece of history gone".

She added: "My brother sailed often when there was no Erskine Bridge. You guys have been amazing and I hope life treats you all well."

Another user said: "Sorry to hear this, but unfortunately expected. Another story of Glasgow's history comes to a close. Been across a couple of times and it was always a delight. Best of luck and thank you."

“Sorry to hear you didn't get funding, thanks for all the journeys for our cycling group over the years. We love the wee ferry. Wishing you all the best.”

Operators of the Renfrew Ferry originally pledged the service would keep running, despite the opening of the Renfrew Bridge on May 9, which connects the town with Clydebank.

The 184m bridge between Meadowside Street in Renfrew and Dock Street in Clydebank will open for shipping, with traffic halted when a vessel passes.

On Saturday (May 31), the bridge was closed for just over an hour from 5.50pm and again at 8.50pm.

The bridge was funded by the UK and Scottish governments through the £1.13 billion Glasgow City Region City Deal.

Completion of the bridge follows the opening of the Govan-Partick Bridge for for walkers, wheelers and cyclists in September last year beside the Riverside Museum in Glasgow.