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Ferries halt passenger decline
Ferry companies have halted a five-year period of decline prompted by no-frills airline competition, new figures show.
More than 24 million passenger journeys were taken in the year to the end of August between UK ports and the Continent, Ireland and British islands – the same level as 2005, according to the Passenger Shipping Association.
The industry body for cruise and ferry companies expects more than 35 million passenger journeys will be made in 2006, matching last year’s levels
PSA director Bill Gibbons said: “The growth of no-frills airlines has meant fewer people travelling by sea in the past five years but the industry has responded to this by investing heavily.
“In the past five years ferry companies have spent more than a thousand million pounds building new cruise-style ships and we do believe we are now firmly set for a revival in ferry travel as people look to the sea as a refreshing alternative to flying.”
Journeys from Dover – the main cross channel port – were up by more than six per cent to the end of August and three per cent up in the month. Car bookings to Ireland in August showed a 2.6% increase on the same month last year.
Report by Phil Davies
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