MERSEY Ferry users face two weeks of further disruption from next week following the sinking of the landing stage in a freak storm last month. The stage remains on the river bed, with ferry passengers currently sharing the Isle of Man Steam Packet stage. But this weekend the Steam Packet's summer sailing schedule will start, curtailing the operation of the Mersey Ferries until a temporary stage arrives next month. Officials have revealed it will be at least another 18 months before a permanent Pier Head landing stage is in place. Since last month's storm, the ferry service has had to share an adjacent landing stage belonging to the Isle of Man Steam Packet company. But with the Isle of Man service's summer timetable kicking in at the weekend, the new schedule has doubled the Steam Packet sailings and their Super Sea-Cat vessel will arrive in Liverpool at 5pm, meaning the last sailing for Mersey Ferries to Seacombe will now take place at 4.45pm. Mersey Docks and Harbour Company (MDHC), which is responsible for the landing stage, said it hopes to bring in a temporary pontoon for the Pier Head early in May when ferry services will be able to revert to their normal 7.15pm last sailing. But the company confirmed it could be 18 months before a purpose-built replacement is in place. A MDHC spokesman said the new stage would have to be designed, manufactured and installed. He said: "That could be quite a lengthy process, but we hope it will be ready in time for the 2008 Capital of Culture." He said a temporary pontoon was being modified in Rotterdam. A bridge to link the pontoon with the Pier Head is currently being built in Liverpool's West Langton Dock. The former Mersey Ferries' Pier Head berth was destroyed on March 2 by a combination of extreme weather and low tides. Transport authority Merseytravel, which owns Mersey Ferries, said that until the temporary pontoon arrives, passengers who miss the final 4.45pm sailing to Seacombe will be able to use their tickets on Merseyrail from James Street to Hamilton Square where a replacement bus service will run to Seacombe. The Pier Head landing stage, destroyed last month, opened in 1972, replacing the century-old Princes Dock landing stage. | 
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