Late night ferry service to continue after U-turn

Late night ferry service to continue after U-turn

13 April 2016

A PROPOSAL to axe late night winter ferry crossings between Strangford and Portaferry has been shelved in response to local concern.

The Department of Regional Development (DRD) was proposing to stop the 10.30pm sailing from Strangford and the 10.45pm sailing from Portaferry between October and the end of March, but has now aborted the proposal after public consultation.

Local people and politicians had expressed concern about the decision to axe the late night ferry crossings given the number of users who would be affected. 

The changes were proposed for every day except Saturday and the decision to retain the late night crossings welcomed by South Down MP Margaret Ritchie and councillor Colin McGrath.

Miss Ritchie said axing the crossings would have “curtailed social and economic activities across the lough” between Strangford and Portaferry. In addition, she said residents in Strangford and Kilclief were opposed to the proposal.

“Various representations were made to the DRD by myself and Councillor McGrath following discussions with local people in Strangford and Kilclief, urging that the late night winter sailings were retained,” the MP continued.

“I am pleased that the DRD has now listened to the views of residents and decided to make no changes in this regard and retain the late night sailings which are vital to the people of the area.”

News of the retention of the late night winter crossings comes as work on a £750,000 scheme to upgrade the Strangford slipway ahead of the arrival of a new £6m ferry this autumn nears completion.

The work is being carried out by Saintfield-based Dawson-WAM Ltd with the major contract also involving improvements to off-shore moorings to accommodate the new multi-million pound vessel.

The ferry service, which has been operating from a temporary slipway during construction, will return to the newly constructed slipway with the removal of the temporary stone structure due to be completed by the middle of this month.

Work is also continuing at the Cammell Laird shipyard on Merseyside on the new ferry which will replace the the MV Strangford which is now over 40 years old.

The new, modern ferry has been designed specifically for the Strangford Lough crossing with DRD officials insisting it will provide a more reliable and efficient ferry service for the public in the years ahead. 

The new vessel has the capacity to carry 28 cars and 260 passengers and will share the ferry crossing between Strangford and Portaferry with the MV Portaferry II.