UNFORTUNATELY, you published a photo of the small C-class ferry in the Lymington River (‘Public inquiry into ferry’ firm’s proposal ‘may be scrapped’, July 2). As it was half the displacement of the new ‘unlawful’ W-class, your readers can imagine the consternation caused by the sudden arrival of the huge new ships here. (A photo of both is available on the Lymington River Association website).
The concern is that the very powerful thruster units required to propel the new ships, and compensate for drift due to windage, are rapidly scouring the river-bed and accelerating loss of mud from the Special Area of Conservation-protected marshes on which the integrity of this estuary depends, with all that that implies. The Natural England report is totally unsatisfactory in this case, as it is devoid of science.
TOM MCEWEN, South Street, Pennington
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