Why no ferrys from South(West) Wales to Cornwall?

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SA_SA_SA
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Re: Why no ferrys from South(West) Wales to Cornwall?

Post by SA_SA_SA »

But you still have to drive a long way as opposed to taking a boat (or take along railway journey as opposed to a boat trip and shorter journey....).
Some people don't like driving even they can....
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Mick F
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Re: Why no ferrys from South(West) Wales to Cornwall?

Post by Mick F »

Distance or Time?
That is the question for every journey.

I bet you can drive in less time from Swansea to Bude than use any ferry that could possibly exist.
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Cyril Haearn
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Re: Why no ferrys from South(West) Wales to Cornwall?

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Mick F wrote:Distance or Time?
That is the question for every journey.

I bet you can drive in less time from Swansea to Bude than use any ferry that could possibly exist.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Swans ... d50.826636

On a ferry one could sleep
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Mick F
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Re: Why no ferrys from South(West) Wales to Cornwall?

Post by Mick F »

Overnight ferry?
Costs come into the equation too.
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SA_SA_SA
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Re: Why no ferrys from South(West) Wales to Cornwall?

Post by SA_SA_SA »

From Fishguard to Plymouth/Penzance seems a rather long train journey to me.....
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Mick F
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Re: Why no ferrys from South(West) Wales to Cornwall?

Post by Mick F »

But we come back to the same question.
Why would you want to go from Fishguard to Penzance?

Nice bike ride, and one I've considered. LE to St David's Head. (and back)
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Re: Why no ferrys from South(West) Wales to Cornwall?

Post by bikepacker »

I met a guy on the Spean Bridge campsite doing a LEJOG He had rode from LE to Plymouth, caught a ferry to Roscoff then another to Rosslare. He then rode to Larne and caught a ferry to Scotland and was then making his way to JOG.

Until I met him I had never thought of that ferry routing.
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Re: Why no ferrys from South(West) Wales to Cornwall?

Post by SA_SA_SA »

Mick F wrote:But we come back to the same question.
Why would you want to go from Fishguard to Penzance?

A person coming from Ireland or SW Wales wishing to do LeJOG or tour Cornwall etc.
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Re: Why no ferrys from South(West) Wales to Cornwall?

Post by SA_SA_SA »

bikepacker wrote:I met a guy.... doing a LEJOG ......[from] Plymouth, caught a ferry to Roscoff then another to Rosslare. He then rode to Larne and caught a ferry to Scotland and was then making his way to JOG.....

I thought of the reverse of that ferry routing for a different reason but its rather a long way round especially if then followed by another longed ferry trip..

Great minds think alike or .... :)
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Re: Why no ferrys from South(West) Wales to Cornwall?

Post by FelimDoyle »

Well, I've just been speaking to some people from the Gower (Mumbles/Swansea) who are attending a family funeral in Barnstaple next week and they would prefer a short ferry trip rather than a four hour drive (including breaks)

I feel that there could be both a tourist/commuter and freight market for a sea link of some form. I'm aware of the investment required from ferry companies for the craft and landings as well as the investment in onward infrastructure from local and central government that would be required to make this a reality but I really think that it could pay off. For freight, time is money and reducing a road journey by 50 to 60 percent or more would be attractive especially when drivers have long onward journeys that are restricted by regulatory operating hours and rest break requirements.

However, electrification of the rail link between Cardiff and Swansea as well as that between Cardiff and London has been postponed or cancelled with funds being diverted to 'other projects'. Meanwhile, HS2 is doomed to be a white elephant but not before causing major environmental damage, distress and financial hardship to those who's house prices have been negatively impacted and those who are the subject of compulsory purchase orders so it seems unlikely that government funding for such 'regional projects' will be forthcoming any time soon. [emoji852]

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Re: Why no ferrys from South(West) Wales to Cornwall?

Post by mjr »

London Cardiff is being electrified, although they're having problems in the Severn Tunnel.

HS2 and why the above is wrong is another topic.
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Re: Why no ferrys from South(West) Wales to Cornwall?

Post by Carlton green »

SA_SA_SA wrote:I wonder why there seem to be no ferrys (even if passenger/cycle only) from South(West) Wales to Cornwall?
For those touring in Cornwall/started LEJOG from Wales or Ireland (via Fishguard/Pembrokeshire etc) that would seem rather more convenient than a long rail/bus journey to Cornwall?


Historically people used to move around the coast of the U.K. and piers were used as loading and unloading points. As far as I know the most westerly pier on the south west peninsula was or is at Weston. Again, historically, there was trade across the Severn Channel but not in what might be called high volume. At Watchet (Somerset) there is (or was) a maritime museum focusing on the Flatner (flat bottomed) boats that made the crossing to South Wales. I believe that at one time there was a service from Penarth to Weston.

As far as I know the South West Peninsula has no Ports on its Northern coast and what Harbours there are are small and were built for Commercial Fishing. Onward travel from the North Coast isn’t easy as the terrain is typically far from flat. Barnstable is still connected by Rail and I believe that small passenger ferries operate from it to a nearby island. Penzance is the most Westerly Port on the Peninsula (so theoretically the shortest route) and it is suitable for Ferries but the journey around Lands End (to the Southern side of the Peninsula) would add considerable time and the sea around LE isn’t an easy passage.

I’m not an advocate of flying but Newquay has an Airport and there are several in West Wales too. I don’t believe that there is demand to fly from Wales to Newquay, doesn’t appear to be one of their routes: https://www.cornwallairportnewquay.com/ ... m-cornwall
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Re: Why no ferrys from South(West) Wales to Cornwall?

Post by rjb »

The roads from Swansea to Barnstaple are now fast roads, either motorways dual carriageways and a short section of fast A road. Made faster and cheaper by making the Severn crossing toll free. :) Ferries would never be competitively priced and the restrictions on entering harbour caused by the huge tidal range means regular crossings would never be on a fixed schedule. :wink:
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Re: Why no ferrys from South(West) Wales to Cornwall?

Post by pwa »

There is a long tradition of leisure cruises between harbours and piers in Somerset and North Devon, and the South Wales coast. Porthcawl to Ilfracombe, for example, was a fixture in the past. Swansea to Ilfracombe has run quite recently. But these are for day trippers, paying to cruise on vintage vessels in fine weather in the summer.

To run a commercial year-round service for more practical travel you would need strong demand. It isn't there. If you live in the populous areas around Cardiff the Severn Bridge is half an hour to the east. And the population of south west Wales is small. The biggest town is Swansea, and how many folk will there be in Swansea, each day, wanting to travel to Cornwall? Not enough to justify the huge expense of a ferry service. How many folk in Cornwall are clamouring for a quick route to South Wales each day?
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Re: Why no ferrys from South(West) Wales to Cornwall?

Post by FelimDoyle »

Most of the alternative solutions to or criticisms of the ferry proposal in this thread seem to focus on foot passengers. Also, rash statements about lack of demand for such a service are without foundation and ignorant "why would anyone want to go there?" comments are unhelpful.

With the right infrastructure in place, car, bus and truck traffic could save considerable time and tiredness over the existing road route. I don't think that the bridge toll was ever much of a factor, especially for commercial traffic, with time and fuel savings being worth the expense. So a reasonably priced ferry crossing would be justifiable to save those precious commodities.

Of course, a survey to establish the likely demand for a crossing would be necessary, factoring in the 20% or so that say they would use it regularly but will probably only use it occasionally if at all.

Finally, for the romantics, there is a historical, cultural and ancestral connection between these Breton communities so they should be better connected!

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