Stena Line axes Dun Laoghaire ferry service

[Flamingo]

.Stena Line axes Dun Laoghaire ferry service

Published 04/02/2015 | 12:13

Stena Line has confirmed that it will not resume its ferry service on the Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead route.

The seasonal service, which had been run on the HSS Stena Explorer between Dun Laoghaire and Wales since 1995, will not be resumed in 2015.

“With two services operating approx. 10 miles apart, we needed to make a decision in relation to what operation best serves the needs of our customers now and in the years ahead," said Ian Davies, Stena Line’s Route Manager for Irish Sea South.

"That operation is Dublin Port.”

Stena and DLHC had been in active discussions on the delivery of a seasonal service until recent days. The company now views the route as "unsustainable", however.

The company plans to consolidate its services to and from Holyhead, and to expand its existing ferry service, at Dublin Port.

The importance of the passenger service business to Dun Laoghaire has declined in the past decade, and in particular over the past five years, where the service has been reduced to a seasonal operation.

By 2014, passenger numbers had declined to 141,652 compared with 1,719,853 passengers in 1998, according to the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company (DLHC).

“The economic realities of the current situation in relation to our business levels have left us with no choice but to close the service," Davies said.

DLHC is now seeking alternative providers for a seasonal service. It is hoped that the replacement service will be in place for 2016.

DLHC has also been targeting cruise business in recent years, and hopes to attract upwards of 100,000 cruise passengers and crew to the town this summer.

Such visitors will spend €7 million in Dun Laoghaire in 2015, it says.

"This will more than make up for any loss of revenue to the local businesses from ferry passengers," according to the company.

Last month, however, local businesses said that the ending of Stena Line ferry services between the town and Hollyhead would be an "absolute disaster".

DLHC does not envisage job losses in the harbour, due to new commercial activities including the growing cruise business and the proposed Urban Beach.

A planning application under the Strategic Infrastructure Development Act for a new cruise berth for ‘next generation’ cruise ships will be submitted in the coming weeks to An Bord Pleanála.

. http://www.independent.ie/life/trav...xes-dun-laoghaire-ferry-service-30963858.html

 

[gordonthemoron]

aren't Stena getting a faster ferry (or two) for the Holyhead-Dublin route?

 

[CallySleeper]

That's a real shame, though it's been on the cards for a few years now.

It's true that the service is unsustainable, it's a shame that the article doesn't explain why. The fuel bills for the one ship alone became horrific, in 1998 it was running four round trips a day, all year. The Explorer is twenty years old next year and not exactly fuel efficient, even when the service was run down to a seasonal one round trip a day. The reason why passenger numbers have decreased since 1998 is simply because of rising oil costs, they couldn't afford to operate the same number of services at the same speed as when new.

I'm not sure that the importance of the business to Dun Laoghaire has decreased. The location of the port is preferable for those travelling to the south or west of the country.

 

[gordonthemoron]

The location of the port is preferable for those travelling to the south or west of the country.

It's also more convenient for foot passengers who don't want to use the Dublin Port bus to Connolly

 

[CallySleeper]

It's also more convenient for foot passengers who don't want to use the Dublin Port bus to Connolly

I disagree with this. When I just did this at Christmas the bus took around ten minutes from right outside the terminal. I don't see why anyone would choose to go that way just because they don't want to use the bus! Yes I enjoy a ride on the DART any day but not only does it take longer, the transfer walk at both ends is also longer.

I stand to be corrected but I'm also not sure the DART is covered by a through ticket whereas the bus is.

 

[gordonthemoron]

I don't think the bus ticket is covered either. The bus is too small and has little space for luggage, which was my main gripe

 

[Bletchleyite]

I don't think the bus ticket is covered either. The bus is too small and has little space for luggage, which was my main gripe

It would of course be rather cheaper to solve that by buying a couple of new buses than maintaining a different port

Neil

 

[CallySleeper]

I don't think the bus ticket is covered either. The bus is too small and has little space for luggage, which was my main gripe

The bus is covered if you have a through ticket for stations elsewhere in Ireland (the Stena bus that is). But no despite being a double Decker there was hardly any room for luggage.

 

[Liam]

aren't Stena getting a faster ferry (or two) for the Holyhead-Dublin route?

Stena Superfast X (formerly known as Dieppe Seaways) is currently getting a makeover in Poland and will replace Stena Nordica on the Holyhead-Dublin route in a few weeks.

Stena Nordica has been chartered by DFDS to replace Dieppe Seaways... :roll:

 

[berneyarms]

The Stena Superfast X also takes more foot passengers than the Stena Nordica, which should compensate for the loss of the HSS.

 

[edwin_m]

The bus is covered if you have a through ticket for stations elsewhere in Ireland (the Stena bus that is). But no despite being a double Decker there was hardly any room for luggage.

When I used this in 2008 it was a standard Dublin Bus, though their day ticket wasn't valid so I had to pay about 3 euros extra. Perhaps they could spare one of the buses with luggage racks off the 747?

 

[CallySleeper]

It wasn't a Dublin bus it was a private operator. But Dublin Bus do still run to the Irish Ferries terminal, and the fare is still three euro.

 

[berneyarms]

There are a number of bus options to/from Dublin Port:

Irish Ferries Terminal:
1) Dublin Bus route 53

This is a standard Dublin Bus route - fare is €1.95 cash and €1.50 on LEAP. Dublin Bus prepaid tickets are also valid. It has a limited timetable however.

2) Dublin Bus Route 53b

This is a private hire to Irish Ferries and a fare of €3 applies (€4 to/from Heuston Station). It is operated by a Dublin Bus double deck bus with extra luggage racking.

Stena Line Terminal
Mortons Coaches operate a private hire connecting with the Stena Adventurer sailings. There is no bus connection into/out of the Stena Nordica sailings. Whether this will change when the Stena Superfast X arrives is not known at this stage.

From the Stena website:

Foot passengers travelling on the 08:20hrs and 20:30hrs sailings from Dublin Port can avail of a coach service which will bring you from Dublin City Centre to the Stena Line Terminal in Dublin Port. The coach departs from Westmoreland Street in Dublin City Centre at 07:15hrs for the 08:20hrs sailing and 19:00hrs for the 20:30hrs sailing.

The fares for this coach service is as follows:

Adult Single: €2.50
Adult Return: €5.00
Child Single: €1.25
Child Return: €2.50

When you arrive in the Stena Line Terminal 2 building at Dublin Port off the 02:30hrs and 13:50hrs departures from Holyhead, there is also a coach service which will transfer you to Dublin City Centre, stopping at Connolly DART Rail Station and Westmoreland Street. There is also a drop off point at Heuston Rail Station and the fare for this is €4.00 Adult Single and €2.00 for a Child Single.

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Some information on the Stena Superfast X is here:
https://travelextra.wordpress.com/

 

[Liam]

If anyone is interested, Stena Superfast X has just passed through the Pentland Firth (between Orkney and Mainland Scotland) on her way to Holyhead, due on Thursday morning, although I suspect she will be there tomorrow sometime.