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Ferries get Passenger Boost in August

Ferry Online Travel News 21/09/2007

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More cars and passengers are using ferries to travel this year.

Both car and passenger travel on ferries in and around the UK increased significantly this August.

Between the UK and Europe, car crossings climbed 4.6 per cent in August. Overall this year, cars are traveling 2.7 per cent more.

On ferry routes crossing the Short Sea, car travel increased by 9.5 per cent in August and passenger traffic went up by 5.3 per cent.

Unfortunately, the North Sea routes have not fared so well this year. With the withdrawal of the high speed HSS ferry on the route between Harwich and Hook, the number of crossings has decreased.

But in the rest of the industry, the numbers are overwhelmingly positive. The director of the Passenger Shipping Association, Bill Gibbons said: "We have seen this continuing trend for over a year now and I am confident it is here to stay. The ferry industry has worked hard over a number of years to make the experience better for customers and it is now finally paying off."

Gibbons feels that the increase in traffic on the ferries is partly due to declining conditions in the country's airports. "Customers now realize the convenience and hassle-free nature of ferry travel and the numerous benefits such as shorter check-in times, the freedom of traveling with their own car - taking as much luggage as they can fit in or on top of their cars at no extra cost - and the opportunity to relax on board modern luxury cruise style ships," he said.

The Passenger Shipping Association in conjunction with IRN research monitors ferry travel and produced these statistics. These numbers do not reflect ferry travel on Scottish routes.

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