http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-11041554
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Cycling News
'Passenger ferry service from Rosyth to Zebrugge to end"
(4 posts)-
Posted 13 years ago #
-
Route operator DFDS Seaways, formerly Norfolkline, has blamed insufficient passenger demand for the move.
And nothing to do with the fact that they run ferries out of Newcastle that they know passengers from Scotland will use as it's only 2 hours down the road ;-)
Superfast originally wanted to run from Edinburgh to Amsterdam but that would have been too much competition as a large proportion of passengers travelling via Newcastle are from Scotland. DFDS cried foul and Zeebrugge was chosen instead. Now they have got Norfolkline... well I don't need to say anymore...
Nothing unusual in this. Most people (with cars) will drive hours to get a cheaper ferry. My daughters school trip drove all the way from Edinburgh to Belgium using a cheap Dover crossing as they thought that preferable.
I am sad to see this go but if you look at ferry services in England too the same thing has happened. Newcastle no longer has ferries to Scandinavia. Five years ago it had two competing lines. Edinburgh too now has a very busy airport with new parking and check ins. One day it might even have trams.
People don't seem to mind hanging about airport malls for hours...
PS - Once upon a time we were promised overnight train services from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Paris (when the UK had to bail out the Channel Tunnel company... bit like the banks nowadays but everyone has forgotten).
Posted 13 years ago # -
Thats a shame - I've taken it 4 times now. Nothing quite like no sleep and horrific airport seats to start a cycling holiday!
Still is faster to shoot down to newcastle or fly now.
Posted 13 years ago # -
It's just too expensive. I got quoted £879 to take my van to belgium. More than twice the price than hull to holland which is where I wanted to end up.
Posted 13 years ago #
Reply
You must log in to post.
posts
