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

[SA_SA_SA]

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?

[andrew_s]

A Swansea to Ilfracombe ferry has been mooted several times - 2010/1, 2015, 2017, but none have got as far as a real, working, scheduled service.
There are sometimes crossings available on the MV Balmoral (got cancelled the time our club tried)

[jgurney]

A company called Severn Link had a try but it seems to have come to nothing: http://www.severnlink.com/

A service to a North Devon or West Somerset harbour would be a much shorter journey.

Problems are:
- lack of non-seasonal demand
- lack of harbours with suitable facilities and onward connections which are accessible at all tidal conditions.

A ferry route which could justify the investment needed would need to be used all year round, which in turn would need a reliable schedule (not one which had to keep changing with the tide) and to have good onward connections, which ideally means a rail served harbour. However the only rail connected harbour town roughly in the right ares is Barnstaple, which is only usable at high tides. Ilfracombe offers all-tide use (hence it is the base for the Lundy ferry) but is a slow bus journey away from it's nearest station.

Consequently someone wanting to go from Cardiff to Plymouth could do it faster by fast train to Bristol then another fast train to Plymouth than by bus to the Docks, ferry to Ilfracombe, bus to Barnstaple, stopping train to Exeter and fast train to Plymouth.

At present there are only occasional excursions from the Welsh side which fit in with tides and peak demand, and a semi-regular shopping trip from Weston-super-Mare to Cardiff on those Saturdays when high tide is at suitable times.

[rjb]

Many have tried but ultimately failed because they failed to make a profit. Ferries and hovercraft have tried without success but the death knell has now been sounded for these enterprises with the removal of the Severn bridge toll making crossing the bridges free from next year.

[mercalia]

maybe bring back the large hovercrafts that used to go across the channel? They were fun? and didnt use much infra structure? shame they aint no more as they were very useful

[Cyril Haearn]

maybe bring back the large hovercrafts that used to go across the channel? They were fun? and didnt use much infra structure? shame they aint no more as they were very useful

They were very noisy, boats are better I think
Why were the hovercraft withdrawn?

[PH]

Why were the hovercraft withdrawn?

The Channel Tunnel

[Mick F]

Why would a large volume of people want to get a ferry between Cornwall and South Wales?
It would need a "need" and there ain't one.
Unless there's a demand, the idea wouldn't work.

[mercalia]

Why would a large volume of people want to get a ferry between Cornwall and South Wales?
It would need a "need" and there ain't one.
Unless there's a demand, the idea wouldn't work.

one back-of-beyond place to another back-of-beyond place - the grass is greener on the other side of back-of-beyond?

[Mick F]

Yep.
It's a three day camel hike to get out of West Cornwall, similar to SW Wales in that regard.
I can't see people in Llanelli wanting to go to Wadebridge via a ferry.

[jgurney]

maybe bring back the large hovercraftsl

They are faster and less affected by tides. However, they:
- cost much more to run and use more fuel..
- cannot operate in high winds.
- require large concrete-covered landing areas for regular landings (they cannot routinely land on beaches as they send large quantities of sand flying).
- have aircraft style seating and lack open decks which is OK for commuter and utility traffic but would not suit the leisure travellers who would be a large proportion of passengers on a Bristol Channel crossing.

[fausto copy]

Yep.
It's a three day camel hike to get out of West Cornwall, similar to SW Wales in that regard.
I can't see people in Llanelli wanting to go to Wadebridge via a ferry.

We haven't got camels over here Mick, but there are quite a few farmers with Alpacas. Maybe I'll try one of them one day.......
but as you say, why on earth would I want to go to Cornwall.

fausto.

[rickd]

I think road haulage is an important component of demand for much ferry provision and I can't imagine this is a significant trade route.

[Bmblbzzz]

Yep.
It's a three day camel hike to get out of West Cornwall, similar to SW Wales in that regard.
I can't see people in Llanelli wanting to go to Wadebridge via a ferry.

We haven't got camels over here Mick, but there are quite a few farmers with Alpacas. Maybe I'll try one of them one day.......
but as you say, why on earth would I want to go to Cornwall.

fausto.

And why would you take the Camel to a place that has quite enough water of its own?

[iandriver]

Didn't the Severn Bridge replace a ferry service?

IOW hovercraft seems popular enough, I guess you'd need to turn Cornwall or Wales into an island.....