FERRY passenger numbers travelling to and from Ireland have increased during the first quarter of 2013 and extra services have been laid on to cater for another expected rise over the coming months.
Bus Ã?ireann Eurolines is continuing its collaboration with Irish Ferries in providing daily coach services from Dublin to London and Leeds with extra departures to cater for summer volumes.
Three coach departures operate daily from Dublin (Busáras) to Holyhead and onwards to UK destinations.
Services to London travel via Birmingham and Milton Keynes while services to Leeds travel via Liverpool and Manchester. Connecting services are available from all over Ireland using Bus Ã?ireann’s Expressway and local bus networks.
Latest figures from the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) show an increase of four per cent in ferry passenger numbers between January and March compared to the corresponding period last year. Tourist car numbers have increased by one per cent.
On cross channel routes between the UK and Ireland, which accounts for 92 per cent of total ferry traffic, passenger numbers grew by five per cent. While the statistics represent positive news for the ferry sector the impact of Easter falling during the first quarter of the year may have had an impact on the figures.
However, ferry prices remain competitive, especially compared with air travel, and fares to London with Bus Ã?ireann Eurolines cost from
?¬38 single with no booking fee or travel tax and passengers are allowed two suitcases per person.