Concern over costs for Strangford ferry

Concern over costs for Strangford ferry

5 December 2012

A SENIOR politician has expressed his shock at the scale of the losses being incurred on the Strangford ferry service which has lost just over £4m over the past three years.

Strangford MLA David McNarry said while the Strangford ferry service is important, so are other public services.

“All services are having to tighten their belts and curtail losses; the Strangford losses are colossal and unacceptable,” he declared

“Even if I supported ticket price increases, the hike needed would not negate these losses. I am concerned that these losses paid for out of public money will continue to grow.”

Mr. McNarry said Department of Regional Development officials are currently reviewing the structure of the ferry service “looking at changing the number of vessels and implementing proposals for significant measures to reduce costs.”

He continued: “Further to that, a business case is on the Finance Minister’s desk for the replacement of the MV Strangford vessel and the overall outcome of the review could be a 50% reduction in the ferry service.”

Mr. McNarry said he pressed departmental officials to demonstrate how this financial performance represented improved efficiencies and reduced costs.

The MLA added: “Their response was to wait on the pending review. I await with great anticipation the review finding.”