Port Of Dover Chief Says Cross-Channel Freight Growth Is Here To Stay

The need for the second ferry terminal at the Port of Dover, planned for by the port authority, is starkly highlighted following the recent Channel Tunnel fire, according to Bob Goldfield, chief executive of the port.

The last week saw a 34 per cent increase in freight vehicles to 55,286 and a 62 per cent increase in the number of coaches to 2,657 compared with the week before the tunnel fire. On one day alone, 17 September, the port processed 10,405 freight vehicles, 527 more than its previous busiest day.

In addition, passenger numbers rose to over a third of a million last week, an increase of 25 per cent from the week before the fire. Over 66,000 cars also travelled through the port.

"While we are handling these increased volumes efficiently through the port, we remain steadfast in our efforts to plan ahead, particularly with the growth in trade movement between the UK and Continental Europe at a time when capacity is being reached," says Bob Goldfield.

"Economic blips and operational incidents will affect us all from time to time, but they cannot mask the long-term reality that cross-channel freight volumes will continue to grow."

Goldfield points out that all previous traffic predictions have been proven and it is essential for the port to press ahead with plans to accommodate this growth.

The Port of Dover is currently progressing proposals for £420 million expansion programme, which includes development of a second ferry terminal with four ferry berths within the harbour.

Proposals are currently the subject of an environmental impact study, due for completion by the end of the year. The Board anticipates beginning the formal planning consent process early next year.

Bob Goldfield warns: "With significant long-term projected growth in the freight business, we cannot afford to stifle the underlying strength of the British economy."

Earlier this year Dover announced that forty-thousand extra freight movements through the port in 2007 pushed traffic to a new record high of 2,363,583 journeys.

During 2007 motoring tourists returned in their thousands to ferries, as continued consolidation of the low-cost airlines and increasing airport taxes and delays reduced the appeal of short-haul flights in favour of drive-and-sail holidays. The number of tourist car journeys last year was up 7.2 per cent to more than 2.8 million - the highest since 1999.