Ferry operator calls for sea lanes

THE operator of Plymouth’s crosschannel ferries today called on the Government to re-think travel corridor policy and links with Europe.

As the number of vaccinations administered in the UK went past 15 million, Brittany Ferries said now is the time for new thinking and said that the case for ‘sea lane’ links with the Continent would be ‘persuasive’ by summer.

Brittany Ferries runs crosschannel links to both Spain and France from Portsmouth, Poole and Plymouth.

In France, health minister Olivier

Véran confirmed that four million people would be vaccinated by the end of February, rising to 43 million by the end of June. That means around 80 per cent of the adult population in Brittany Ferries’ most popular destination should be vaccinated well ahead of the summer holiday season.

Vaccination rates in Spain are currently higher than in France by proportion of the population and, back home, all over-50s are forecast to have received the vaccine by the end of May.

“Vaccine roll-out is moving apace in the UK, thanks to the NHS, volunteers and support of the armed forces,” said Christophe Mathieu Brittany Ferries CEO.

“While France and Spain are a little behind, the ramp-up is gaining significant momentum. We all believe that vaccines are the way out of this dreadful crisis.

“So by spring we think there will be a clear case for the adoption of vaccination-led travel corridors – or in our case sea lanes – that allow holidays to go ahead this summer and for hope to return.”