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Re #197:
If DPPT aims to reverse the decline in ferry traffic figures through the Port of Dover as shown in the tables for 1997 and 2011 then these figures need to be viewed in context as a great deal has happened in the intervening period, and not forgetting that in 2011 the UK and Europe were, as now, suffering the effects of the deepest recession in living memory.
The figure of 21 million passengers in 1997 was an all time high. Almost all the rail passengers now travel by Eurostar, 10 million last year, with another 9 million passengers taking the Eurotunnel passenger shuttles. The rise in low cost airlines has abstracted further millions. The loss of duty free in 1999 resulted in a massive drop in daytrippers. Given all that, the figure of 13 million last year seems surprisingly high. With all the alternatives now available, it seems most unlikely that we shall ever see the 1997 figure again.
The drop in tourist cars from 3.5 million to 2.6 million is for much the same reasons. Eurotunnel carried 2.26 million cars last year, and large numbers chose to fly/drive with low cost airlines.
The drop in coaches to 85,000 is mirrored by Eurotunnel which only carried 56,000. Travelling by coach seems to be going out of fashion, maybe due to increased car ownership.
As we all well know, freight has increased by leaps and bounds since 1997, dropping off a bit since the recession started biting. It was the projected increases which inspired DHB to develop the plans for T2 and later to apply to privatise in order to be able to borrow money in view of the urgency of completing T2 post haste in order to handle the anticipated ever increasing flood of freight. Recession changed all that and T2 is now acknowledged as not being required for at least another ten years, if ever. The raison d'etre for privatisation has vanished but the process marches on with big bucks at the end of it for all those involved.
Eurotunnel is the major factor in the disappointing figures quoted for 2011 vis a vis 1997. A total of 284 million people and 57 million vehicles have travelled through the Channel Tunnel since its inception, the great majority in the period under question. Despite the overall growth in the cross channel market prior to the recession, it seems ingenuous to expect that this would not have an effect on traffic through Dover.
One bright spot is the flourishing cruise and cargo business built up over this period. DHB invested in the cruise and cargo terminals specifically as an alternative source of revenue in the face of the challenge from Eurotunnel.
It would be interesting to know what DPPT is apparently aiming to do to reverse the decline in ferry traffic since this is a factor of how much custom the ferry companies can attract and not something the port has any control over.
