Displaying items by tag: Magilligan

19th September 2011

Lough Foyle Ferry Service To Cease

The twenty minute car ferry service that carried its two millionth passenger this year is to cease operations from Sunday week, according to a report in today's Irish Times.

Funding talks have broken down for the Greencastle-Magilligan 44-vehicle capacity ferry the Foyle Venture (1978/324 tonnes) that has crossed Lough Foyle between counties Donegal and Derry since June 2002. The ferry is often used by cross-border workers and holidaymakers.

A notice on each pier says the Lough Foyle Ferry Company regrets the service will be suspended from the close of business on Sunday, October 2nd. The notices say directors of the company hope the suspension will be temporary, and they look forward to recommencing operations early in 2012.

For a photo of the ferry that once served on the Shannon (Killimer-Tarbart) service as Shannon Willow click HERE. Note in the background is the veteran cruiseship Princess Daphne at anchor in Lough Foyle. To read more about the ferry service visit www.loughfoyleferry.com/main.htm

Published in Ferry

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Donegal Ferry Services Under Review

Members of Donegal County Council are to discuss today, the future of two subsidised ferry routes operating from the Inishowen Peninsula, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The Lough Foyle ferry between Greencastle and Magilligan Point, Co. Derry could be curtailed as traffic levels have halved and the summer only Buncrana-Rathmullan service on Lough Swilly is also to be examined. Both ferry services are run by the Lough Foyle Ferry Company.

The cross-border service is funded by Donegal County Council and Limavady Borough Council. The route in recent years has experienced an unfavourable exchange rate, increased cost of fuel, poor weather, a depressed tourism market sector and notably reduced construction traffic, contributing to a sharp decline in demand. In the current climate the local authorities may find it difficult to provide funding as they scale back on budgets.

Record levels in 2005/2006 saw traffic reach 106,179 vehicles and 302,740 passengers. Such was the success of the service annual subsidies for 2008 and 2009 were not required. According to the latest 12-monthly traffic figures for June 2009-June 2010, vehicle volumes dropped to 52,669 and passengers levels have decreased more than halve to 149,455.

The 10-minute route is operated by the 44-vehicle capacity Foyle Venture which served the Kilimer-Tarbert route for the Shannon Ferry Co. The mid-west estuary ferry was replaced by newbuild Shannon Breeze in 2000 and later sold to Lough Foyle Ferry Co.

When the Lough Foyle route began operations in 2002, the service received a subvention of €108,000 each from the local councils. Over that timeframe, the route has received a total funding of €500,000 from Donegal County Council.

In 2009, the two local authorities agreed to provide a €200,000 subvention, but this runs out in March 2011. An application has also been submitted to the Special EU Programmes Body for funding.

On the west side of the Inishowen Peninsula is the Bunbcrana-Rathmullan service, which is also in doubt if a subsidy from Donegal County Council cannot be maintained. The Lough Swilly route started in 2004 and is served by the 20-vehicle capacity Foyle Rambler, a former German river-ferry. The north-west ferry route takes 25-minutes and recorded 15,000 passengers at its peak.

In busier times, tourists from the North, instead of passing through Derry city, used the 'land-bridge' routes across the Inishowen Peninsula to reach holiday-homes and popular seaside resorts throughout Co. Donegal.

Published in Ports & Shipping

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