P&O resumes service between Scotland and Northern Ireland amid confusion

P&O Ferries has resumed passenger sailings between Scotland and Northern Ireland amid confusion for passengers.

The operator told travellers on Sunday that "tourist travel" would not restart until Thursday. But yesterday it posted on Twitter than it had resumed a three-services-per-day schedule for passengers and freight.

The DP World-owned company operated freight-only sailings on Sunday.

The European Causeway vessel it uses on the route between Cairnryan and Larne, Northern Ireland, was detained by maritime officials last month. This was due to safety concerns after the company sacked nearly 800 seafarers and replaced them with cheaper agency workers.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) announced on Friday that the boat had been released following a re- inspection.

Normally a busy hub for travellers and freight goods, Larne Port was quiet yesterday afternoon.

A few lorries and trucks drove off the P&O ferry European Causeway which docked at 2pm from Cairnryan, but there were no cars and only three foot passengers.

There was general confusion about which services were running. One passenger, who didn't want to be identified, said he was not sure if services were back to normal.

"We only happened to find out by chance because I knew I had to get home and looked it up on the website," he told the BBC. "But even then half the ferries that would have run before didn't look to be running."

The man said disembarking the ferry was much quicker than usual due to the lack of passengers.

Sailings by P&O Ferries remain suspended between Dover and Calais until at least Good Friday.

The resumption of services is dependent on regulatory approval.

P&O Ferries has accused the

MCA of carrying out inspections with "an unprecedented level of rigour". The agency responded by insisting it works "in exactly the same robust way" for every ship.

The reduction in cross-channel sailings has caused gridlock on major roads approaching the Port of Dover in recent days.

A 23-mile coastbound stretch of the M20 is closed from junction eight (Maidstone) to junction 11 (Westenhanger) to store thousands of lorries as part of Operation Brock.

This is causing chaos on surrounding local roads.

Dover and Deal MP Natalie Elphicke said: "The roads chaos affecting Dover and

Kent caused by P&O Ferries is expected to continue into this Easter week.

"It is vital that Dover is kept clear amid the continuing roads disruption.

"Residents must be able to get about to work, attend medical appointments and visit family and friends.

"I am pressing for active policing of the key pinch points across our area and for blockages to be dealt with swiftly where they have arisen locally.

"P&O and DP World should be held to account for this disruption which they have needlessly and wrongfully caused."