Dame Caroline Dinenage, Member of Parliament for Gosport, has proposed changes to Government legislation to give a future Mayor of Hampshire powers over waterborne transport networks.

Tabling an amendment to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, Caroline wrote to Ministers that she was “concerned that there was no mention of specific powers over waterborne transport networks in the Bill despite the potential of such modes of travel to improve connectivity, increase take-up of public transport, and cut emissions.”

The Bill is the vehicle through which the Government is devolving powers to regional mayors. Those powers include the ability to take control of local transport networks, as well as the ability to institute and establish Mayoral Development Corporations to speed up planning.

Following the Late Night Gosport-Portsmouth ferry’s decision to cease operations in February, Caroline is seeking a long-term, sustainable, and innovative solution to connecting sites across Portsmouth Harbour. In July she held a water taxi summit where over 40 stakeholders from the area gathered to discuss innovative ways to improve connectivity across Portsmouth Harbour.

In February this year Hampshire was accepted on the Government’s fast track for devolution, meaning that there will be an election in May 2026 to elect a Mayor for the area currently comprising Hampshire County Council, Isle of Wight Council, Portsmouth City Council and Southampton City Council.

Caroline said: “For most of our history, the seas and waterways around Gosport and the wider Solent were seen as connectors that boosted economic growth and increased connectivity between communities.

“The Government’s devolution programme is an opportunity to think about how we can reduce congestion on our roads and increase the availability of public transport.

“I’ve written to Ministers proposing a solution to a transport problem that people in Gosport increasingly face – that the cross-Harbour travel options are drying up. My amendment gives Mayors the explicit powers to tap into our maritime heritage and provide water taxis and ferries, cap fares, and guarantee a reliable service.

“We’ve seen the success of the Bee Network in Manchester, why can’t we have something similar on the water across the Solent?”