Loss of Brittany Ferries' route 'massive blow' to Poole, says MP

A ferry operator's plans to close a cross-channel route is a "massive blow to the town", an MP has said.

Brittany Ferries announced on Tuesday that it will sell Barfleur, the vessel which serves the Poole to Cherbourg route, closing the service from November.

The company said it faced a bill of €27m in 2026 due to rising taxes and Covid loan repayments, as well as fewer travellers and what it called unfair competition.

Neil Duncan-Jordan, Labour MP for Poole, said the plans "came out of the blue". Meanwhile, Nigel Wonnacott, from Brittany Ferries, said: "We've done our best but we have to face the harsh realities of the marketplace".

Posting on social media, Duncan-Jordan said he was "disappointed" not to have been contacted by the company before the announcement.

"This raises understandable questions around redundancies, the impact on tourism and the offer that the town can make to those of us that live here.

"Businesses are part of our town and need to see themselves in that way, rather than separate entities that have no social responsibilities," he said.

The company also said it was looking to close the Portsmouth to Le Havre route from October.

Wonnacott told BBC Radio Solent the company has had to make "difficult decisions" following a "drop in demand".

He said there would be no staff redundancies in the UK.

The firm said it would run a daily service from Portsmouth to Cherbourg in place of the Poole journey.

It added that ships serving Guernsey, Poole and Cherbourg would be allocated to a "more efficient" schedule from 1 November.

This would see its Islander vessel connect Portsmouth to Guernsey, Guernsey to Cherbourg, Cherbourg to Portsmouth.

Its Voyager fast craft will continue to serve Poole to Guernsey, but with the option to travel on to St Malo.

Wonnacott added: "We have tried to keep the route running, but we can only do it for so long.

"And unfortunately, there comes a point where you have to look at the numbers, you have to look at your profit and loss, you have to look at your costs, and you have to make a hard decision."

In a statement, Poole Harbour Commissioners said it was "naturally disappointed" to see the end of the ferry service which had run since 1985.

"While we regret the loss of this service, we also recognise that it creates a clear opportunity for other ferry operators to take over the short western channel crossing.

"We are committed to maintaining Poole's position as a key regional gateway and to working collaboratively to bring forward new opportunities that benefit passengers, businesses, and the wider economy."

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "We know this will be disappointing news for those who use Brittany Ferries to travel between the UK and France.

"This is a commercial decision taken by the company and we are engaging with the Port of Portsmouth and Brittany Ferries on next steps."