News
Brittany Ferries reassures customers, following Yellowhammer report publication
09:30 am
12 September 2019
Don’t panic, travel with confidence, we are prepared: those are key messages coming from cross-channel ferry company Brittany Ferries following publication of Yellowhammer guidance and media reporting this morning (Thursday 12 September).
While Yellowhammer’s “reasonable worst case planning assumptions” scenarios relating to potential cross-border problems focus on short sea (Dover-Calais) routes, Brittany Ferries understands that some of its passengers may be concerned about their travel plans too. That is why it is taking steps this morning to reassure both passengers and freight customers, using Western Channel routes out of Portsmouth, Poole and Plymouth.
“The reality is that we have had plenty of practice preparing for a no-deal scenario,” said company spokesman Nigel Wonnacott. “We have been working through local resilience forums (LRFs) in our ports and closely with our port partners to mitigate risks. While we cannot say for certain that there will be no disruption, we can reassure customers that comprehensive steps have been taken. We operate on longer Western Channel crossings to five destinations in northern France and two in northern Spain. These routes will continue to operate as normal post October 31st.
Brittany Ferries has been carrying passengers and freight across the English Channel for nearly 50 years. It is in the process of a €550 million fleet renewal programme, a statement of confidence in the future and further reassurance for businesses in the south and south west of England which rely on links which were first set up in 1973.
“Of course politics is politics,” added Nigel Wonnacott. “But geography doesn’t change if we exit the European Union at the end of October. We will continue to take people to beautiful holiday destinations in France and Spain, and carry the freight that keeps Britain moving – and we will do so with as little disruption as possible.”