P&O Ferries to permanently stop accepting foot passengers on their Dover to Calais route.

[Bletchleyite]

Just as useful as for those living an equal distance away in the other directions - just more frustrating!

Frustrating it may be, but an hourly connection offers more flexibility than an infrequent direct service unless the times happen to suit. See also Blackpool and the likes.

 

[AdamWW]

Frustrating it may be, but an hourly connection offers more flexibility than an infrequent direct service unless the times happen to suit. See also Blackpool and the likes.

True. But people used to have both options.

 

[davetheguard]

Not accepting EU ID cards for entry is pure ideology and was not a necessary part of Brexit. We could easily have kept that in place.

But presumably something that could easily be put back in place by a future British government.

I wonder how many French school trips are made to Canterbury now that those kids need a passport, which most of them probably don't have or need to visit any other European country? I don't suppose they were the biggest spending visitors, but they will have spent some money with local businesses.

Self harm are the only words for it.

 

[RT4038]

Well that's not why I would quite like to still be able to travel across the channel at a reasonable price (and without the hassle and environmental impact of air travel) without having to plan weeks or months in advance.

I am not saying that you are wrong, but there is no economical way in the current circumstances of providing any kind of convenient service for the small numbers involved, and hardly a priority for public money to be spent on propping something up.

 

[AdamWW]

I am not saying that you are wrong, but there is no economical way in the current circumstances of providing any kind of convenient service for the small numbers involved, and hardly a priority for public money to be spent on propping something up.

Yes indeed.

Hence my original comment:
"I appreciate all the reasons that things are the way they are now, but it does seem a shame not to be able to cross the channel affordably at short notice any more."

But having said that, on environmental grounds it might actually be nice to have an affordable alternative to driving for short-notice travel abroad.

 

[30907]

Just seen a POFerries tweet replying to seat61:

Good afternoon, I can confirm that Foot Passengers will be back on sale soon. Apologies for the inconvenience.

I assume that refers to fares

(Sorry, can't see how to do a link.)

 

[AdamWW]

Just seen a POFerries tweet replying to seat61:

I assume that refers to fares

(Sorry, can't see how to do a link.)

Interesting....

 

[rvdborgt]

Just seen a POFerries tweet replying to seat61:

I assume that refers to fares

(Sorry, can't see how to do a link.)

This is the twitter thread, with P&O's reply:

https://twitter.com/seatsixtyone/status/1596176489732780032

 

[30907]

This is the twitter thread, with P&O's reply:

https://twitter.com/seatsixtyone/status/1596176489732780032

Thanks - I wonder if "soon" might lead to foot passenger provision being a seasonal operation as e.g Brittany Ferries to/from Spain?

 

[rvdborgt]

Thanks - I wonder if "soon" might lead to foot passenger provision being a seasonal operation as e.g Brittany Ferries to/from Spain?

Interestingly, I was checking Brittany Ferries to Spain yesterday and noticed that foot passenger becomes an option from January 2023. Not sure what season that would be then.

 

[StephenHunter]

Well, that's something, wish there were options from more ethical companies.

 

[Trainbike46]

Interestingly, I was checking Brittany Ferries to Spain yesterday and noticed that foot passenger becomes an option from January 2023. Not sure what season that would be then

Brittany has made some changes to some of their fleet recently, and not all their ships have enough passenger capacity to take foot passengers, so depending on the exact route that may be why they become available again in January

 

[zwk500]

But having said that, on environmental grounds it might actually be nice to have an affordable alternative to driving for short-notice travel abroad.

Arguably, it's better for the environment to discourage travel.

Well, that's something, wish there were options from more ethical companies.

What's unethical about not taking foot passengers? As cycling is still available, if you do it often enough buy a folding bike and cycle on/off the ferry.

 

[Trainbike46]

Arguably, it's better for the environment to discourage travel.

But the discouragement should be focused on the most polluting forms of transport, not the least, one could argue.

What's unethical about not taking foot passengers? As cycling is still available, if you do it often enough buy a folding bike and cycle on/off the ferry.

I suspect the unethical comment in related to earlier this year when they fired all their staff without notice, and caused massive chaos in the areas they served and for competing ferry operators

 

[zwk500]

But the discouragement should be focused on the most polluting forms of transport, not the least, one could argue.

Well then we should be telling every foot passenger to walk to Dover Priory, get on a fully electric Javelin to St Pancras and then get the fully electric Eurostar to France .

I suspect the unethical comment in related to earlier this year when they fired all their staff without notice, and caused massive chaos in the areas they served and for competing ferry operators

Fair point, although if you object to their treatment of staff you probably shouldn't be using them at all.

 

[Trainbike46]

Well then we should be telling every foot passenger to walk to Dover Priory, get on a fully electric Javelin to St Pancras and then get the fully electric Eurostar to France .

Fair point, although if you object to their treatment of staff you probably shouldn't be using them at all.

I mean, wishing a more ethical company (so I'm guessing DFDS in this context?) offered a foot passenger option is perfectly aligned with disagreeing with P&O's treatment of their staff, isn't it?

But, back on topic, it seems like good news that they aren't suspending foot passenger traffic. I wonder why the tickets are not on sale for next year yet. Maybe they are reconsidering which crossings to offer foot passenger connections on, or something like that?

 

[zwk500]

I mean, wishing a more ethical company (so I'm guessing DFDS in this context?) offered a foot passenger option is perfectly aligned with disagreeing with P&O's treatment of their staff, isn't it?

Fair enough, sounds like I got the wrong end of the stick of that post.

 

[RT4038]

I mean, wishing a more ethical company (so I'm guessing DFDS in this context?) offered a foot passenger option is perfectly aligned with disagreeing with P&O's treatment of their staff, isn't it?

Are the staff of DFDS on better conditions than those of P&O then?

 

[Trainbike46]

Are the staff of DFDS on better conditions than those of P&O then?

I'm by no means an expert here, but my understanding is that they are. At the very least they haven't done the thing P&O did earlier this year where they fired everyone without notice

 

[185]

I wonder, could there be some legislation interpretable as discriminatory used to prevent P&O doing this? Let's say, I was in a wheelchair, blind or epileptic and could not drive - how would this 'you're not in a car' rule affect me?

*In my messed up mind I'm picturing Stevie Wonder turning up, piano and all, driving a Ford Focus, probably missing the ramp and straight into the dock...

 

[Bletchleyite]

I wonder, could there be some legislation interpretable as discriminatory used to prevent P&O doing this? Let's say, I was in a wheelchair, blind or epileptic and could not drive - how would this 'you're not in a car' rule affect me?

No business is required to offer a service suiting everyone. Adjustments have to be reasonable. A blind person can use a car ferry service in someone else's car.

By contrast, if a service is offered to foot passengers at all then you'd need to provide for lone blind people travelling.

 

[185]

No business is required to offer a service suiting everyone. Adjustments have to be reasonable. A blind person can use a car ferry service in someone else's car.

Driving it? Omgz

But it would be good to see someone test this at court. Especially for nasty ol' P&O.

 

[AdamWW]

I wonder, could there be some legislation interpretable as discriminatory used to prevent P&O doing this? Let's say, I was in a wheelchair, blind or epileptic and could not drive - how would this 'you're not in a car' rule affect me?

Probably in the same way it affects pedestrians who want to walk along motorways. Or use the channel tunnel car shuttles.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Driving it? Omgz

But it would be good to see someone test this at court. Especially for nasty ol' P&O.

They'd lose.

The thing being discriminated against is people who don't have access to drive or be a passenger in a car. This isn't itself a protected characteristic. It isn't specifically discriminating against blind people. Some blind people can travel by car (being driven by someone else) and some people who aren't blind can't travel by car (because they neither own one nor know anyone who does who would be willing to drive them, or because they chose a cheaper insurance policy with no international cover).

It is analogous to the railway closing a station and a medical-reasons non-driver nearby claiming discrimination. That would also not be illegal discrimination, because the station is closed to *everyone*. That person may have hardship as a result, but so may the person next door who's chosen not to drive.

By contrast, removing the lift would potentially be illegal discrimination, because that would close the station only to people with a disability preventing them using the stairs, and that is a protected characteristic.

 

[RT4038]

Probably in the same way it affects pedestrians who want to walk along motorways. Or use the channel tunnel car shuttles.

or indeed the two other Dover-Calais ferry operators.

 

[paul1609]

If a pedestrian wants to use LE Shuttle there's a load of local taxi firms that will take you through. Think one way is from around £150 plus the return Le Shuttle Fares. Surprisingly I understand that its big business. As pets are banned on Eurostar there's about half a dozen companies in the pet + Owner transfer business. One of the owners of Folkestone Taxis reckon they generally have 2 or 3 taxis en route to/ from Paris at any one time.

:: Folkestone Taxi Co :: Folkestones Premier Taxi Service :: About Us

 

[zwk500]

If a pedestrian wants to use LE Shuttle there's a load of local taxi firms that will take you through. Think one way is from around £150 plus the return Le Shuttle Fares. Surprisingly I understand that its big business. As pets are banned on Eurostar there's about half a dozen companies in the pet + Owner transfer business. One of the owners of Folkestone Taxis reckon they generally have 2 or 3 taxis en route to/ from Paris at any one time.

I'm not surprised to find that companies offer this, but am surprised it's that popular!

 

[StephenHunter]

Why can't pedestrians use Le Shuttle outside a vehicle?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Why can't pedestrians use Le Shuttle outside a vehicle?

Why would they be able to?

 

[StephenHunter]

Why would they be able to?

They have legs. They can walk to and from the trains. Bike riders can.