LD Lines

[Joe]

Just heard on local news(Dover),that LD lines could be in a bit of trouble.They have told staff there may be job losses.

I am booked to return to UK next month.Deep joy.

[Théière]

It won't stop me booking........SeaFrance have been broke for ages

[WendyG]

 

Has anyone read the "new"  booking conditions of BF?    Any change to a booking within 5 days of travel will incur a £25 fee.  One of the great things was that if on occasion some disaster occurred one could change the booking, especially on line, at the last minute.  They did state this was to include any change appearingly including car registrations,  but have now retracted this.  The vehicle registration is required from 1 Jan 2011.

I like BF but the charges are going up all the time and soon will make it prohibitive to travel as frequently.  Journey from door to door is 250 miles by road and 500 by road if taking the Dover etc route.

WendyG

 

 

[Théière]

WendyG,

Sounds like you may be stuck with the Ryanair-esk charges but on your route to Dover you missed out LD lines/Transmanche Newhaven to Dieppe any help (half the distance to Dover)

[NickP]

WendyG wrote: The vehicle registration is required from 1 Jan 2011.

Yesterday as we approached the check in machine at Folkestone to book in for the tunnel, my wife had her card ready  but the machine activated itself as we stopped,  a notice appeared saying good morning Mrs NickP welcome to the tunnel you are booked on such and such train but would you like an earlier one? She pressed the appropriate answer button and the ticket was issued, easy as that!  We normally do about a dozen crossings a year, and this is the first time we have encountered this, plus I've always added the car registration when booking.  So obviously they have started using the number plate recognition system. Maybe the Ferries are starting the same?

[Chancer]

My registration has been recognised at the tunnel for a couple of years now.

[Théière]

[quote user="NickP"]WendyG wrote: The vehicle registration is required from 1 Jan 2011.

Yesterday as we approached the check in machine at Folkestone to book in for the tunnel, my wife had her card ready  but the machine activated itself as we stopped,  a notice appeared saying good morning Mrs NickP welcome to the tunnel you are booked on such and such train but would you like an earlier one? She pressed the appropriate answer button and the ticket was issued, easy as that!  [/quote]

Maybe they read your thread on Ryanair NickP [:P]

[NickP]

[quote user="Chancer"]

My registration has been recognised at the tunnel for a couple of years now.

[/quote]

I would hazard a guess that your registration has been recognised at quite a few places Chancer. [:D]

[Pickles]

[quote user="NickP"]Yesterday as we approached the check in machine at Folkestone to book in for the tunnel, my wife had her card ready  but the machine activated itself as we stopped,  a notice appeared saying good morning Mrs NickP welcome to the tunnel you are booked on such and such train but would you like an earlier one? She pressed the appropriate answer button and the ticket was issued, easy as that!  We normally do about a dozen crossings a year, and this is the first time we have encountered this, plus I've always added the car registration when booking.  So obviously they have started using the number plate recognition system. Maybe the Ferries are starting the same?

[/quote]

Just be aware that it doesn't necessarily work coming back. We took the chunnel at the beginning of July in the Folkestone-Calais direction. Had the same experience as you in that the number plate was recognised and the correct details were up on the screen as we halted. However, on the way back, checking in at Calais, the system required the credit card that had been used to make the booking.

Incidentally, between making the booking and travelling, the credit card used had expired and I presented the machine at Calais with the OLD, out-of-date card, with which it was quite happy. (We got caught out in Germany with a rail ticket booked online with a card that was later cloned and hence cancelled. We destroyed the card but then realised that the replacement had a different number ... the German rail guard was not happy at all ...)

Regards

Pickles

[NickP]

"Maybe they read your thread on Ryanair NickP"

I hadn't thought of that Théière, Oh well, next time I'll make her get in the boot before we get there [:D]

[FerryGuru]

Sadly the next couple of months are going to be

hard for the ferry industry with the potential of job losses, withdrawn

ships and price increases.

LD Lines have announced that they are looking at their Dover route

and the two ships have been placed back on the market. The two ships

they have were only taken on a very short term contract which I believe

is due to expire at the end of October, which coincides with the last

bookings possible on LD Lines website when I checked a few days back.

Reports are that the Le Havre route is also suffering.

P&O Ferries have announced an internal review. They estimate

about 50% overcapacity on the Dover routes at the moment with all

operators. Currently their European Seaway (freighter) is laid up and

only being used when the passenger ships cannot handle the loads. The

crews are awaiting the outcome of the review in the Autumn that could

see further reductions in the fleet. It is widely thought that more

than just the old Pride of Dover and Pride of Calais will be withdrawn

when replaced by the two new ships being built in Finland.

[tonyinfrance]

Sue and I live 15 minutes from Newhaven so the continuing success of LD's Newhaven - Dieppe route is always of interest to us.   Although private vehicle numbers often seem disturbingly low I remember previous Posters have clarified that LD make their money from commercial vehicles and private cars are a just an add-on.  Living so close to a cross-channel port is a major benefit and we'd hate to have to drive all the way round to Dover so fingers crossed for LD!

[robkat]

We also live in Brighton & find the Newhaven/Dieppe route an excellent (& fairly) inexpensive crossing which we do several times a year. We shall continue to support this crossing but sometimes have been one of only a handful of cars on board. However, we do not enjoy this crossing when the wind is blowing!

PS, still haven't found out how to 'cash in' our frequent traveller points!

[just john]

I'm using the Portsmouth Le Havre route since I've got some good prices from LD this year, better prices then Brittany, however was staggered when a friend told me that commercial rates are also low, his price on the same route for a lorry and trailer (inc cabin and meal for two) was less than mine, the truck/trailer is about 5 times longer than mine and my price does not include cabin or meals. Not that things are looking good for ferry routes with Roro ferries moored up on the fal, Ro-Ro ferries on the Fal

[PaulT]

Will admit, the Newhaven route does look good - we live near Gatwick. However, the dog would be very distressed being left on the car deck, hence it is the Shuttle for us, which is excellent, only 35 minutes for the crossing and not having to drive through Dover.

I do though begrudge the journey down from Calais when I see the signposts to Dieppe.

Unfortunately, the travel industry will and is seeing a down turn in traffic as evidenced by the travel company collapses. People will be staying in their country for holidays, if they have a house abroad perhaps visiting less frequently and with the way, from the UKs point of view, Sterling is, putting off house buying trips until the financial recovery becomes a reality and people are also not worried abourt losing their jobs.

Paul.

[steve@sarah]

We have used LD lines regularly for the last couple of years, ever since they started taking dogs on the Newhaven Dieppe route.

We find them an economical alternative: Brittany ferries just got too expensive, even with the owners club discount.

The western channel routes are much better for us than going via Dover as the drive from Shrewsbury is shorter, as is the run to 18 when we arrive. We worked out the total cost, includind fuel, tolls and it comes out at almost the same cost, without such a long jouney.

PaulT- our 2 retrievers are fine on the car deck, they stay in the car which to them is "their" territory. We get to the port in time for a good run and try to travel over night when they would be asleep anyway. We have waited out of site to see if they settle, but they always lay down right away and go to sleep.

Our last trip was free with the ld lines miles on the loyalty scheme. They have recently changed it a bit- to claim your miles log on to the frequent traveller bit of the web site and follow the links to book a crossing- the same search engine as the rest of the site except you pay with miles instead of money. Our last visit should have cost about £300 for the transit and 2 dogs Newhaven Dieppe, but was free.

The only downside is the onboard food- I would rate it as only ok if your hungry! And not cheap either. Much better to go prepared with a picnic.

Like others, we have noticed that most of the trade seems to be lorries rather than cars. Sometimes so many that you wonder where they can be all going!

[Gardian]

[quote user="just john "]

Not that things are looking good for ferry routes with Roro ferries moored up on the fal, Ro-Ro ferries on the Fal

[/quote]

Without wishing to be 'picky', those vessels appear to be car carriers (for the import / export of new vehicles), rather than ferries.  As the article suggests though, they are I suppose a barometer of the economic downturn.

[just john]

Whilst looking at carrier pics, I also found this, car carrier in rough sea [:-))]

[Will]

The latest news on LD Lines' UK routes is that the Norman Bridge is being taken off the Dover-Boulogne service to operate a new route between France and Spain, jointly with LDA's partner company, Grimaldi Lines of Italy. As the new route is subsidised by Brussels, and UK-Europe routes are not, you can see the attraction for the company.

http://www.ifw-net.com/freightpubs/ifw/article.htm?artid=20017801794&src=rss