LOCAL residents were dismayed to see a sign on the quay in Kings-bridge on Monday stating that the River Maid had suspended sailings to and from Salcombe until further notice.

Peter Moule, who has owned and run the River Maid for the past 42 years, has been in conflict with South Hams Council for a number of years over charges to use the local public landings.

'I received a letter from the former harbour master a few years ago', said Peter. 'It said they were planning to start charging for the use of Jubilee Steps in Salcombe and Steamer Steps in Kingsbridge.

'Both of these are public landings. A well-known family gifted Jubilee Steps to the ­people of Salcombe, and Steamer Steps has always been a public landing. It's where the paddle steamers used to pull up in the 1800s.

'They started charging for the use of the new pontoons at Whitestrand, and that's fair enough, but the rest should be free. The River Maid is a substantial ratepayer; I must pay more than £8,000 a year, and that should pay for the public landings, not £2,000-plus per year on top.'

Peter was in correspondence with the council and agreed to pay 50 per cent of the charges for Jubilee Steps in Salcombe as he said he is 'aware there is a maintenance issue there', but he refused to pay for Steamer Steps in Kingsbridge, because he feels he should not have to pay to use a public landing.

Peter also claims that the positioning of the new pontoon in Kingsbridge has made his job much harder because it comes out across the low tide stream that runs up to the end of the quay.

'It's a navigational hazard,' contended Peter. 'The River Maid used to be able to use that deeper section to come up to Steamer Steps in a lower tide, but now the pontoon's there I can't get up at lower tides, meaning I've gone from being able to get three trips in a day down to one or two.

'If there was a satisfactory facility that the River Maid could use day and night and all year round, then fine, but I can't. It's time to make a stand.'

Other ferries in the area are paying the charges. Simon Short-man, who has run the East Portlemouth Ferry in Salcombe since 1983, said he had made an agreement with South Hams Council and the Harbour Office to pay towards the upkeep and maintenance of the landing at Jubilee Steps.

'I agreed to pay if the charges went up in increments,' said Simon. 'I paid 25 per cent the first year, then 50 per cent, then 75 per cent, and I'm now paying 100 per cent of the charge.

'But we're not in the same boat as Peter – we run 365 days a year, seven months of that from Jubilee Steps and, during off-peak times, from the Whitestrand pontoons. Nothing comes free any more and if something needs to happen then it needs to happen.

'The Harbour Board in Salcombe have been fair with us, especially when the councils have no money.'

Kingsbridge & Salcombe Chamber of Commerce committee member Nick Walker said: 'I regard these charges as an unfair restraint of trade.

The ferry should be ­receiving a subsidy from the council, not a punishment.

'River Maid is being asked to pay the same annual landing fees as the Portlemouth and South Sands Ferries, which have far greater earning power.

'Kingsbridge desperately needs the ferry as an attraction and the town should do everything possible to help.

'Council interference and negativity has caused the removal of several previous attempts to provide a tourist attraction in the town – the Compton Castle, the Golden Hind and the original quayside train.

'Peter has unfortunately not always been his own best friend in negotiations with the council, but it gives them no right to do things against the wishes and interests of those who pay their wages.

'I've urged the ­chamber to campaign in support of the ferry – and we should, despite the fact that Peter's not currently a member.'

However KSCC treasurer Peter Richardson said: 'If a business has a monopoly position in its market and its costs go up, these are passed on in the form of a price increase, thus maintaining its margins.

'Not to do so, and to use it as an excuse to withdraw the service, is business suicide.

'Furthermore, if one were trying to sell that business, why ever would you choose to hit your turnover in this way?'

Rob Wheeler, who represents Salcombe Town Council on the Harbour Board, said: 'I'm not up-to-speed with all the facts, but we need to make sure the charges are fair for the usage of the landings.

'I want to know where the money from these charges is going: are they being used for the maintenance of Jubilee Steps? Because they've been in a state of disrepair for a while and this is the first view some people get of Salcombe.'

A spokesman for South Hams Council said: 'The charges, which all other ferry operators pay, have been in place for a number of years.

'These fees are used to ensure that the ­facilities, including the quay walls, steps and slipways, are kept in a good state of repair. This can be very expensive, as the repairs to the quay wall in Kingsbridge proved last winter.

'In a gesture of ­goodwill South Hams District Council phased in the charges for the River Maid over a number of years, but has always insisted that from 2015 the full charge, which is £880 plus VAT [for each landing, adding up to £2,112 a year], would be charged.

'The Harbour Office has written to the owner of the River Maid many times about these charges in an attempt to reach a compromise, but it now appears that a decision has been made by the River Maid to stop this service.

'River Maid has also been notified by the Harbour Office that Whitestrand pontoon is always available to be used as a pick-up and drop-off point, which is an option that works well for other ferry operators.'

A photograph of the notice that the Gazette shared on its Facebook page, South Hams Newspapers, was shared more than 60 times and attracted more than 100 ­comments, most of them in support of the River Maid.

The prospective sale of the River Maid, which was announced last year, has fallen through.