More on BF Poole / Cherbourg

[Frederick]

http://www.lamanchelibre.fr/Un-nouveau-ferry-pour-Cherbourg,1.media?f=3534

Looks like some kind of service with a bigger boat for three days a week is planned (Mod's can you please make the link live . I cant do it "

[Will]

The information I have is that the new ship will be used to augment the Portsmouth-Santander service, and will also operate between Portsmouth and Cherbourg on three days per week. This will complement the summer-only fast craft passenger/car service between Portsmouth and Cherbourg by providing freight capacity. The conventional ferry passenger/car service between Poole and Cherbourg operated by the Barfleur is to cease, although the high speed ferry (Normandie Vitesse) and the freight-only service (Cotentin) are continuing.

So the Manche Libre story appears partly incorrect, though no official information from Brittany Ferries - other than the timetable on the web site - has reached me.

Edit - this would seem to indicate that the new ship (actually an existing 2000-built ship, currently operating in the Mediterranean) will be carrying freight only, as it doesn't appear in the passenger timetables for 2010. http://www.brittanyferriesfreight.co.uk/3502

[Frederick]

Thank you Will ....The Manche Libre article got our hopes up for a moment ...BF have re booked my sons Barflur crossing to one out of Caen.. Sad day for Poole town and Dorset .

[La Guerriere]

I cannot help but think that this will not last. Think of those autumn and sping days when the NV suddenly gets cancelled due to inclement weather. People turn up at Poole and get told "sorry, next available boat will be out of Portsmouth, going to Caen". That will really piss people off.