23/01/2019
SF Back Calls For Earlier Strangford Sailing
People commuting from the Ards Peninsula town of Portaferry are calling for an earlier ferry to Strangford due to high demand.
The call has been echoed by a local Sinn Fein MLA.
The first car ferry leaves the port at around 7.45am and is reportedly always full to capacity due to the amount of people availing of the service which cuts the drive to Downpatrick by 30 miles.
Dozens of schoolchildren also board as foot passengers, heading to Downpatrick or Ballynahinch for their morning classes.
The sailing takes less than 15 minutes and runs every half hour, beginning at 7.45am and ending at 10.30pm.
Sinn Fein MLA for the area, Emma Rogan added her support to the calls for an earlier sailing.
"The ferry cuts an hour off the journey to work compared to road so makes a huge difference to a daily commute.
"An earlier sailing would greatly improve the convenience for commuters and alleviate the long queues experienced at the current first sailing.
"I have written to the Department for Infrastructure to ask that they investigate the option of an earlier sailing," the south Down MLA added.
(JG/CM)
The call has been echoed by a local Sinn Fein MLA.
The first car ferry leaves the port at around 7.45am and is reportedly always full to capacity due to the amount of people availing of the service which cuts the drive to Downpatrick by 30 miles.
Dozens of schoolchildren also board as foot passengers, heading to Downpatrick or Ballynahinch for their morning classes.
The sailing takes less than 15 minutes and runs every half hour, beginning at 7.45am and ending at 10.30pm.
Sinn Fein MLA for the area, Emma Rogan added her support to the calls for an earlier sailing.
"The ferry cuts an hour off the journey to work compared to road so makes a huge difference to a daily commute.
"An earlier sailing would greatly improve the convenience for commuters and alleviate the long queues experienced at the current first sailing.
"I have written to the Department for Infrastructure to ask that they investigate the option of an earlier sailing," the south Down MLA added.
(JG/CM)
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