SUPPORT is building on both sides of Southampton Water for the Daily Echo's campaign to save the Hythe ferry.

A shadow has been cast across the future of the vital service between the city centre and the Waterside following a massive rates rise.

Ferry bosses have warned that the 740 per cent hike in their business rates may make it financially impossible for them to continue.

Today Southampton MP Alan Whitehead has added his voice to the masses of people demanding that the Valuation Office Agency should reconsider the increase.

The Labour MP for Southampton Test said: "I am extremely concerned about the crippling effect this threatened increase will have on the Hythe Ferry and have written to the valuation office and the office of the Deputy Prime Minister for answers.

"With the New Forest's National Park status, it is especially crucial that Southampton maintains its links with Hythe as a gateway to the forest."

White Horse Ferries, which has operated the service since 1994, say the route, which carries 400,000 passengers a year, could be axed as soon as next winter.

The ferry will always be more heavily used by people travelling from Hythe and the surrounding villages to get to Southampton but it is popular with passengers coming the other way.

Some people use it to get to work in Hythe and it is always busy when the village's weekly market and regular farmers' markets are held.

One passenger that regularly uses the service to get to Hythe from the city is 67-year-old Pearl Williams from Harefield.

The pensioner told the Daily Echo: "I would miss the ferry ever so much if it went. I have been using it since 1962 and all my family use it as well. I like to come over on the ferry to the market and to see my sister."

Staff at the Valuation Office Agency have agreed to review the rates increase which will cost the heavily subsidised ferry service thousands of extra pounds.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND THE PETITION IN HYTHE:

Shell garage

Martins

Waitrose

Hythe Post Office

Newman's Good Foods

Lord Nelson pub

Magpie

Victoria's

Tilley's Cake Shop

Collins Jewellery

Bodytalk

Little Miracle

Bushnell estate agents

King's estate agents

Mann's estate agents

Cards For All Occasions

Robert James

Unwins Wines

X Catalogue

Forest Edge News

Madgwicks

Bryley Hardware

Uppercuts

Shamrock Chandlery

Boots

Dibden Post Office