It's been a while coming, but it looks like the new Swansea-Cork ferry is now operational.
Yes, it will probably do more for the economy of south west Ireland than it will do for that of Wales ... but even so it will still bring benefits to Wales. And every car or truck it takes off the roads west of Swansea will reduce pollution, make those roads that much safer to use, and reduce the need for those roads to be widened. Those are very welcome benefits.
Congratulations to those who have fought so hard to get the service reinstated. I wish the Fastnet Line every success and hope it will be a permanent part of our transport infrastructure.
3 comments:
You are right about the comparative benefits in both countries, I fear. But that is mainly because the Irish take tourism seriously, organising the whole experience and making it uniquely, shamelessly Irish. Meanwhile, here, can you find even one Welsh pub. with traditional music and food? Should be hundreds. Welsh food in any café? E.g. they don't know what cawl is. In the capital or the second city, let alone across the country. As for our Celtic heritage, that's totally denied - "pre-history" or Bronze Age - let alone celebrated. I wish I had a rocket!
When I wrote the post, I have to admit that I was thinking of the ferry primarily in terms of transport, Anon. But as you say, it also creates (or recreates) a market in tourism for its own sake. From what I can see in the pictures the Julia seems to be a pleasant way to make the crossing, so if Swansea and the surrounding areas get their act together we might well find many more people from Ireland coming here for holidays. It's impossible to judge from here how well they're promoting this over in Ireland, but I certainly hope they are.
This also ties in with the idea of creating a "Celtic Cruise" tourist market, as mentioned here.
Not quite sure about space tourism, though. At least not yet. Or did you have something else in mind for your rocket ;-)
MH - ". . .if Swansea and the surrounding areas get their act together . . ". That is just not going to happen! They have spent over £30m on developing a (now binned ) computer system they could have bought off the shelf for a few hudred thousand. They have spent several million on a report on how to despoil their magnificent, largely unspoiled Bay shoreline. Millions spent on preparing the roads for a 'Bendy Bus', which saves exactly nothing and can't turn around!
So getting their act together is not something we can expect from Swansea!
There is a lot of potential commerce here from getting people using this ferry (which I agree, looks lovely - I can see it from my Window!) to spend a couple of nights in Copperoppolis on the way to Ireland, or the way back. It would would bring in Millions, but would require a bit of imagination, intelligence, and probably be seen as a threat to somebody's pet project!
Won't Happen.
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