Ferries awaiting UK go-ahead for France-UK routes

Irish Ferries are planning to start Dover to Calais trips in May, whilst Brittany Ferries hopes to reopen several suspended France-UK links this month

The UK’s new rules on foreign holidays are expected in early May

Irish Ferries plans to start Dover to Calais trips this month.

Read more: New start in Franco-British relations needed, says region president

The firm previously operated only between Ireland and the UK, and Ireland and France.

It says it intends to include passenger services but the level of service will depend on the easing of Covid restrictions.

Brittany Ferries, meanwhile, hopes to reopen several suspended France-UK routes this month but is awaiting details of the UK’s new rules on foreign holidays (expected early May).

Apart from freight-only services, Brittany Ferries passengers with their own transport can currently use a weekly Portsmouth-Cherbourg service with the Galicia and a daily Portsmouth- Caen service with the Mont St Michel.

It is now taking bookings from May 17 for Poole-Cherbourg crossings with the Barfleur, Portsmouth-Saint-Malo crossings with Bretagne, and Plymouth-Roscoff crossings with Pont-Aven.

It is also accepting foot passenger bookings again from that date.

However, further postponements cannot be ruled out.

For the time being, the Portsmouth-Le Havre route is still only serving freight.

P&O ferries is still not accepting foot passenger bookings for its Dover-Calais trips.

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