|
|
Lough Swilly car ferry in troubled
waters
25.03.08
|
THE operators of the
Swilly car ferry have confirmed they will run the
service this season but warned it could be the last.
The Lough Foyle Ferry Company operates the Summer
service from Buncrana to Rathmullan but says a
shortfall in funding is putting its future in
jeopardy.
A crunch meeting is due to take place on March 31
between the company and Donegal County Council in a
bid to thrash out future grant arrangements. |
 |
It's understood the
company needs a subvention of 135,000 to make the
Swilly route feasible but around 110,000 is
currently on the table.
The ferry company said its operating costs on the
Buncrana to Rathmullan route last year were in the
region of 300,000 including fuel, wages, insurance
and boat maintenance. |
"We will run this
Summer but we will have to review the whole thing
after this season which could be the last for the
Swilly service," said ferry director Jim McClenaghan.
"If the tourism authorities conducted a survey of
the benefits of the ferry to this region, it would
put the whole funding issue into context."
Company figures show that 66,000 passengers used the
Swilly Ferry last year and the company hopes to
carry more than 70,000 this year.
"If each one of those people spent 20 a piece it
would put the whole funding thing in context. The
Mulroy Bridge opens next year and if the Swilly
ferry is not running, the link over to Inishowen
will be broken."
Its understood a three-year deal was hammered out
last year between the company and the Council but
the parties are now back at the drawing board.
Meanwhile, the Foyle ferry which operates from
Greencastle to Magilligan is currently
self-sufficient and is running without grant
subvention. A one-way journey is 15 per car while a
return ticket costs 22 but Mr. McClenaghan said
"trade is up" on the 10-minute crossing. "The
funding for the Foyle crossing was for seven years
but we were self-sufficient in five," he said.
He puts the funding issue for his company in the
context of the Strangford ferry in Co. Down which he
says gets £870,000 a year in subvention.
"Between our two boats every year, we spend around
800,000 in fuel, insurance, dry dock costs, upkeep
and wages. When we started six years ago, diesel was
22c a litre but it's now 65c a litre - a jump of
around 300%," added Mr. McClenaghan.
This year, the cost going from Rathmullan to
Buncrana will be 15 one-way and 24 round trip per
vehicle. While official sailings are scheduled to
begin on June 13 until September 7, the company also
hopes to operate on the May and June Bank Holidays,
weather-permitting. |
|
