Friday, January 09, 2009

New Fast Ferry Service For Ramsgate

Hurrah! Proof yet again that Ramsgate is the isle's premier town, with news today that a fast ferry service will be operating out of our lovely port from spring this year!

Euroferries' state of the ark, er, art 98m high speed ferry will whisk foot passengers, coaches and cars to Boulogne in just 75 minutes, where they'll be able to enjoy the Nausicaa National Sea Experience Centre, a new super-duper casino, shopping, great food, and fantastic motorways connecting with the rest of Europe.

Of course we'll be expecting floods of Frenchies to make the trip the other way to enjoy our derelict motor museum, clapped out casino, half shut high street, Thorley food and poorly-maintained A road out of here.

Click here to see announcement on Euroferries website

Update: July 2010 and still no sign of 'em!

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is brilliant news! Of course I'll wait to see if it actually happens, but if it does then I'll be very very happy.

Don Wood said...

Yippee I think you have some good news at last

Michael Child said...

Great news, with the value of the pound being so low at the moment we should benefit considerably from European tourists.

Anonymous said...

Let's hope they publicise the service. TransEuropa and TDC do sweet FA as far as letting the world know about Ramsgate ferries is concerned.

Peter C said...

Great news that they'll be accepting foot passengers! I don't drive, & I've never been to France so... : )

Anonymous said...

See this link to the BBC website ref Euroferries proposals from 2006 to bring High Speed Ferries on the Dover-Boulogne route. Are the 2 related by any chance? http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/southeast/series10/week5.shtml

Anonymous said...

Half that link is chopped off for me so here is the link which will take you to the article.

Anonymous said...

Peter,

They'll love you in France, dear.

Anonymous said...

I see trouble ahead with this one!!!

Especially if its being backed by public money?

Anonymous said...

Not a brass farthing of public funds have been spent on this as far as I am aware.

Dover is at capacity, Ramsgate has capacity, that makes Ramsgate an obvious choice for operators.

What with the wind farms, and this, Ramsgate Port is about the only success story TDC have had as far as job creation is concerned and they've spent virtually nothing on it. Certainly puts Manston and all the public money and hot air that's been poured into that to shame. Well done Port Ramsgate!

Anonymous said...

With the collapse of SpeedFerries (which operated out of Bolougne) the chamber of commerce in the French port are probably eager for new operators. They have one for the Dover route with LD Lines but as they have spent millions on new ro-ro facilities at Bolougne I would think the more business they can get the better so they can start making that money back. That's why I think there is a good possibility Euroferries will run the service, which is great news for Ramsgate IF the council make the most of the opportunity.

Anonymous said...

Why haven't TDC press released this?

Anonymous said...

I think the key word in the statement by a key political person is the use of the word "potential".

Ramsgate has had the potential to do many things, but move on due to a supine and inept local authority.

I give this venture 6 months at best if it indeed comes to Ramsgate.

Having used the Sally line and put business their way, i fail to see just how they will get the foot passengers along with the cars onto this ferry, in the numbers it requires to make it viable and Dover has not reached its capacity as a lot of the port remains unused.

TDC for gods sakes think outside of the box for a change and be innovative/inventive instead of listening to developers all the time who are chasing the big bucks at public expense?

Anonymous said...

I don't the think the rather sophisticated locals in Boulogne will be very pleased at the news that they will be linked to a town that has such illustrious personnages as Richard (Bully) Nicholson, David (Fat Boy) Green, Mike (Big Mouth) Harrison and John (couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery) Kirby in the higher civic and political echelons.

And even less that microbe life in the form of ECR, Michael Bookshop and Tim Garbutt could descend soon on their fine little town.

Richard Eastcliff said...

Oooh! Who rattled her cage?

Anonymous said...

I have paid £100 and bought a website called "moonferries".

I am going to launch high speed services to the moon from manston, starting in April 2009.

If you don't believe me, just check out my track record (none), and my indepth website on www.moonferries.com

Anonymous said...

There will be no new service its just a joke...

You are about to lose your motoristslink to Ostend...

Anonymous said...

Who the f*ck are you? Mystic Meg?

Anonymous said...

rubbish! Transeuropa ferries is busier than ever there's no way we're going to lose that.

Anonymous said...

Actually anon 8:53 TransEuropa arent busier than ever, were actually 13% down on freight traffic and we believe the bosses are looking to discontinue the passenger service as it has never been finacially viable.

Anonymous said...

hi , if tef does stop their motorist service it is because mr dias the company owner died last year , and the people running the company don`t have the same vision.
my last travels with tef were not as enjoyable or as good value as in the past. i hope we dont lose the service , it has been pleasureable. as for the fastcraft to bologne , i dont think it will happen or it will launch on 1ss april !!