Ash cloud helps ferry firms

CHANNEL ferry and rail firms saw an unprecedented boost to demand when flights were cancelled due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland.

A Brittany Ferries spokesman said they carried 35,286 passengers compared to 6,494 in the same period last year (an increase of more than 500%). “One day was the busiest on record for our reservations line,” he said.

“We had letters from people who had not used ferries since they were children and were surprised how good they were and an upsurge in bookings for later this year.”

LD Lines spokesman Nick Stevens said they carried an extra 11,000 foot passengers and saw a 50% increase in car crossings. “A lot of people came home in hired cars,” he said.

“As for the Boulogne – Dover route [with no foot passengers] we had 3,000 extra cars which was an increase of more than 130%.

“Calls to our reservations line increased three fold.”

A SeaFrance spokeswoman said they had broken with their usual policy and allowed foot passengers - 14, 000 of them. They ran bus services to take them to the ferries.

A Eurostar spokeswoman said they saw about half a million passengers, about an extra 100,000 on top of their usual amount, and they put on 63 extra trains.