Move the Rosslare ferry services to Waterford

Wote

With the downgrading of the Rosslare rail connections at Rosslare "Europort" Harbour is it now time to consider shifting the Rosslare ferry terminal to Waterford?

My reasoning is that there are Motorway and Rail connections at Waterford and there is an established Ro-Ro terminal there too.

Carawaystick

Jaysus, If you think the walk from Rosslare port to Rosslare trains station is long, you should look at where Waterford station and Waterford port are....

Wote

Carawaystick wrote: »

Jaysus, If you think the walk from Rosslare port to Rosslare trains station is long, you should look at where Waterford station and Waterford port are....

The former Waterford to Rosslare line goes right past the port!

Here's an option to develop rail container traffic, get a rail shuttle to Waterford or better still terminate all Waterford trains at the port. Obviously a new station would need to be built but there is also the prospect of keeping the Waterford - Rosslare line open for freight as well.

goingnowhere

Wote wrote: »

The former Waterford to Rosslare line goes right past the port!

purplepanda

There used to be a Rosslare - Waterford ferry service in the 1950's. I know an older lad who used to travel on it & get the train to New Ross, when visiting family in Graiguenamanagh.

It would be an extra hour in journey time & discourage passengers who want to go northwards towards Wicklow & Dublin.

Theres's a reason why this ferry service was abandoned, introduction of modern larger ships & ports, containers, & roll on off ferries would make it unlikely to work. How would you turn around a car ferry on the river Suir? Is there a dock big enough in Waterford port?

I also heard the Cork Swansea Ferry has closed again as well? Is that true?

mike65

Not that it'll ever happen but -

Belview port can take 40,000 tonne vessels (and turn them around) so it can take the Stenna car ferry - 25,000 tonnes, draft 6.12m. Belview Maximum draft is 8.2-9.5 metres depending with 6.5 metres clearance in the harbour.

roundymac

purplepanda wrote: »

I also heard the Cork Swansea Ferry has closed again as well? Is that true?

About nine months ago. Close Rosslare I say and move the whole thing to Cork, we've got a ferry port ready to go. Just tell Stena, Irish Ferries, and Celtic Link to turn up and we're in business.:D:D:D

corktina

Rosslare to Fishguard represents the shortest (therefore cheapest) sea crossing at the southern end of the Irish sea. Take it to Waterford (god forbid Cork!) and I will go to Dublin instead.(from Co Cork)

Wote

A shorter drive from Cork and you might even be able to get there by train. In fact the Waterford port website shows a liner train being loaded (with an 071 class at the front )

kneemos

More fule,higher fares,longer turn around,plus the cost of moving the whole operation,I don't think so.

dowlingm

Wote wrote: »

A shorter drive from Cork and you might even be able to get there by train. In fact the Waterford port website shows a liner train being loaded (with an 071 class at the front )

It didn't show it being loaded in Waterford though, did it? It can't have, what with Belview being the container port :rolleyes:

As Corktina said you'd have to look at the customers you'd lose as well as gain. Journeys for N11 customers would lengthen and the longer sailing time would affect utilisation patterns, attractiveness, possibly crew costs?

L1011

Once the road network is tolerable, car traffic in particular needs to be moved to or stay on the shortest possible sea routes. The death of the Mostyn service from Dublin once the A55 was upgraded to DC the entire way (except the Britannia Bridge) shows this.

Boats are a lot slower than cars, even on poor roads; and once people are willing to accept the drive, they will.

The Idyll Race

kneemos wrote: »

More fule,higher fares,longer turn around,plus the cost of moving the whole operation,I don't think so.

The cost of the operation didn't stop Stena from moving to Cairnryan from Stranraer. They have recent form in this, and if Waterford made a sufficently attractive offer..

corktina

Wote wrote: »

A shorter drive from Cork and you might even be able to get there by train. In fact the Waterford port website shows a liner train being loaded (with an 071 class at the front )

not the point. Waterford to Rosslare is an easy drive. The ferry would take longer, and cost more as a result.THAT is the deciding factor.It's cheaper to do miles on the road than it is to do them on ferry. Go by train? well, I'd have said that most people not taking a car would prefer to fly, I would. I can do home to my usual UK destination in FIVE hours via Cork Airport. By ferry, I'd only just be sailing from Rosslare (or Waterford). No contest as far as the Train is concerned, a non-starter for most peoople

The Idyll Race

MYOB wrote: »

Boats are a lot slower than cars, even on poor roads; and once people are willing to accept the drive, they will.

I haven't tried a boat on a poor road, but will take your word for it!

The_Wrecker

The Idyll Race wrote: »

I haven't tried a boat on a poor road, but will take your word for it!

Just make sure to extend your stabilisers!

Moving any further than Rosslare will also naff up the 24hrs 2 departures schedule. As soon as Stena/IF sees land they want to turn and return. Still no sign of upgrading the vessel down there, the former Kronprisessan Victoria (Stena Europe) dates back to 1981.

GerardKeating

The Idyll Race wrote: »

The cost of the operation didn't stop Stena from moving to Cairnryan from Stranraer. They have recent form in this, and if Waterford made a sufficently attractive offer..

But those two ports are only 6 miles apart and Cairnryan is closer, not further away....

dowlingm

The Idyll Race wrote: »

The cost of the operation didn't stop Stena from moving to Cairnryan from Stranraer.

The difference being for one thing that Cairnryan is nearer the open sea than Stranraer.
http://www.dgstandard.co.uk/dumfries-news/local-news-dumfries/local-news-dumfriesshire/2010/02/12/stena-line-move-from-stranraer-to-cairnryan-51311-25816525/
EDIT: 6.2miles closer to Central Scotland on the A77 too.

Losty Dublin

There was a study done into passenger ferry services for Belview when it opened in the mid 90's.

It found that ferry trips would add almost 2 hours to the trip; tides and river flow would severely affect the window for ferries to use the port making it less attractive as a destination for Stena and Irish Ferries; capacity on the river for ferries arriving several times a day would be put to the max; the cost of providing docking and service facilities for ro-ro ferries and passengers was going to be a strain; there was also concerns that ferries turning at the dock on a regular basis would impede marine traffic heading into Waterford city docks .

This was before the ability of both Waterford and New Ross to cope with the additional traffic was considered or the economies of a longer ferry trip.

The_Wrecker

GerardKeating wrote: »

But those two ports are only 6 miles apart and Cairnryan is closer, not further away....

There has always been the PR battle of 'The shortest crossing'. Combine this with a quicker turnabout, less fuel and the former Tallink Superfast twins and you have a winner. Motorists would agree, they want to be on the tarmac and upto 60mph asap.

loyatemu

the owner of CelticLink has talked about leaving Rosslare in the past, due to some dispute over fees. He mentioned building a new jetty at Arklow among other options but I'd imagine it was all hot air.

http://www.wexfordpeople.ie/news/celtic-link-ferries-may-leave-rosslare-2658793.html

man98

corktina wrote: »

Rosslare to Fishguard represents the shortest (therefore cheapest) sea crossing at the southern end of the Irish sea. Take it to Waterford (god forbid Cork!) and I will go to Dublin instead.(from Co Cork)

Corktina is right! Adding 2 hours on to a ferry journey for no reason at all? And of course if the did that they would want to move the Roscoff, Cherbourg and Pembroke Dock services too! This is just some Waterfordian who wants less effort to go to Wales. Rosslare is the second biggest port in the Republic Of Ireland so what would be the point in moving the service? They used to have a Cork - Pembroke Dock ferry which closed because of no demand.

man98

And aren't people forgetting the Save The Rail CRP operation who already have a train available to lease off Irish Rail. All we need is a small investment, 12 gate keepers and 3 or 4 drivers and ticket conductors to operate a service

dowlingm

man98 wrote: »

And aren't people forgetting the Save The Rail CRP operation who already have a train available to lease off Irish Rail. All we need is a small investment, 12 gate keepers and 3 or 4 drivers and ticket conductors to operate a service

yes, yes, they'll gladly pay Tuesday for a hamburger today... :rolleyes: