Dieppe route to close
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by David Craik • Hauliers will be deprived of vital ferry services between Newhaven and Dieppe at the end of this month following P&O Stena Line's decision last Friday to quit the financially troubled route.
Hopes of salvation, in the form of Hoverspeed's decision to operate a fast ferry service on the route from 10 April, were dashed when it was revealed that the service would not take freight.
P&O Stella Line's decision was taken after a twomonth revievs, of the route's financial performance found there were "no practical solutions" available to save it. It is planned that the Stena Cambrai will make its last scheduled crossing from Newhaven at 21:30hrs on Sunday 31 January.
P&O Stena Line undertook the route review because the crossing had been losing money and passengers since the opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1994. The company was also concerned that the performance of the route could worsen with the likely end of duty-free shopping later this year.
Hoverspeed will operate the SuperSeaCat fast ferry on the route until 31 October this year, but a spokesman says the company has no plans for a freight service.
He adds: "However, the Dieppe Chamber of Commerce and the route's owner, Sea Containers, are currently looking at the level of demand for freight services on the route."