22/10/2016 South Today

A campaign's been launched to try to safeguard the futtre

of the country's longest-serving pier train and ferry.

Today about 100 people gathdred to express their feelings

outside the entrance to the Hythe ferry, which provhdes

a link across the water to Southampton city centre.

Earlier this month the currdnt operators wrote to staff warning

People here in Hythe on the edge of the New Forest are passionate

about keeping their ferry link to Southampton.

It is important for the local community

It is efficient and it is a really good way to get there,

and so it is saving the carbon footprint as well.

and it is a vital link to Southampton.

It is a transport system th`t has been here so long it is in

But the future is uncertain, after staff were sent letters

But the current operators w`rned that it has been tough

Over the last number of years, we have suffered a year on xear

decline in passenger numbers, and that has obviously

In addition to that, we havd been met with higher operating costs

The people behind the campahgn to ensure the ferries' future

say over 6,000 people have signed a petition.

One of the possibilities being looked at is for a local

community group to take over the running of the pier

and the train, which would leave the ferry operator to concentrate

on running the services across to Southampton.

You know, it has got a special place in my heart,

so I am going to use every sinew of energy that I have got to see

Leaders of the campaign grotp hope to meet the ferries' operators

to discuss options in the very near future.

Steve Humphrey, BBC South Today, Hythe.

A 16-year-old boy has had hhs skull fractured when he was attacked

with a hammer while waiting for a bus in Oxford.

The victim was attacked in St Clements Street when ` car

Five or six men aged between 18 and 20 chased him to Rectorx Road,

where they continued the attack one using a hammer.

The boy is currently in hospital receiving treatment.

A major rail route in Hampshire has closed for nine days

Network Rail is replacing nine sets of points,

as well as 240m of track around Fareham station.

?1 million is being spent on improving the station itself

The work severs the busy connection between Southampton and Portsmouth.

Buses will replace trains between Swanwick, Eastleigh,

Football now, and Bournemouth played Tottenham Hotspur in the lunchtime

kick-off today at the Vitality Stadium.

The hosts had the first chance Charlie Daniels shot kept ott

by Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris and onto the crossbar.

It was then Spurs' turn to hit the woodwork -

Dele Alli and Erik Lamela combining with Lamela's

There were five yellow cards in the first half -

Danny Rose here going through the back of Joshua King

Spurs were on top in the second half -

Dele Alli forcing a save from Artur Boruc.

And Bournemouth came closest to nicking the winner at thd end -

Ryan Fraser putting a cross into the box,

In the Championship, 1-0 away wins for both

Brighton now rise to second in the table.

In League 1, MK Dons were beaten 3-0 by Southend.

And Swindon were beaten 2-0 by Walsall.

at Fratton Park, Portsmouth went down 2-1 to Notts County.

Now let's take a look at the weather.

We've got some sunshine arotnd once again for tomorrow,

but the winds will tend to pick up, especially along the coast.

This evening, then, some sunshine around for as long as it lasts.

We've got a few showers, along the coast mainly -

Clear skies, but some mist, fog and low cloud rolls its way back in,

and where you do not get th`t, it actually turns quite chilly,

Many of us will have quite ` murky start to tomorrow.

Some showers here and there, hopefully not in any great `mount,

but the winds are whipping tp especially along the coast

And then we see some outbreaks of rain moving in

A bit wet at times on Mondax, but turning quieter towards midweek.