‘Frustration’ one ferry running over weekend

24 April 2019

CONCERN has been expressed after Strangford village was brought to a standstill by traffic congestion on Saturday evening.

Local councillors have blamed the traffic chaos on the fact that only one of the village’s two ferries was running and a ‘mismanagement’ of the ferry’s queuing system.

However, one local businessman says that increased demand for the ferry service was due to more than 80 motorhomes travelling to the Kirkistown racing circuit, with traffic running smoothly over the rest of the weekend.

Issues concerning the ferry service’s operation over bank holidays and the need for an earlier crossing from Portaferry were aired last January.

Councillor Cadogan Enright said that he was promised by the Department of Infrastructure (DfI) — which operates the crossing — that two ferries would be running during bank holidays.

“The situation is very frustrating and has been going on for a long time,” said Cllr Enright.

“If tourist buses can’t get in and visitors can’t get in, or local people can’t get into the pharmacy or shops, then it’s a problem. The ferry is a real benefit to Strangford, it can’t be a liability.”

Cllr Enright claimed that the DfI “in order to save on staff costs, have not been using the queuing area on the Strangford side.”

During a recent meeting of Newry, Mourne and Down Council, roads officials confirmed that they were evaluating introducing an earlier morning sailing from Portaferry to Strangford.

Councillor Gareth Sharvin said he was also concerned about the regular traffic congestion in Strangford after being contacted by local people caught up in the weekend traffic jam.

He said: “I don’t understand why there is ferry traffic congestion when there are good ferry traffic lines around the harbour. I will be contacting the Department’s permanent secretary, Katrina Godfrey, to have a full review and overhaul of the ferry services to ensure that this does not happen again.”

Strangford businessman, Robert Duffy, owner of a Mace grocery store, confirmed that the village was snarled up with traffic on Saturday evening but reported traffic and the ferry had been running smoothly over the rest of the Easter bank holiday weekend.

However, Mr Duffy added: “The traffic was only bad for a couple of hours on Saturday evening and it was compounded by Saturday night mass in Strangford.

“Saturday’s problem was that there was only one boat on. There was racing in Kirkistown and you had between 80 and 90 motorhomes travelling from Bishopscourt and that happens every single year.

“I’ve been here 41 years and it is what it is – holiday traffic. The queue management was very good, I was down the street on Sunday and Monday and it was moving well.”

The Department of Infrastructure was unable to provide a response.

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