Increased running costs after the First World War could not be met by increasing the tolls, as the company had no statutory powers to do so, and so suggested that the Ministry of Transport should take over the navigation, which they did from 24 September 1920.
O incremento dos custos de funcionamento despois da Primeira Guerra Mundial non podía ser compensado polo aumento das peaxes, porque a empresa non tiña poderes legais para facelo, e así suxeriu que o Ministerio de Transportes asumise a navegación, o que fixeron o 24 de setembro de 1920.