Call for Strangford ferry to begin earlier each day

Emma Rogan, a Sinn Fein MLA whose South Down constituency is linked to the Ards peninsula via the ferry service across the lough, said that the sailings make “a huge difference to a daily commute”.

She said the Strangford town to Portaferry service saves about an hour of road travel.

However, she added that the earliest sailing is at 7.45am, and “this ferry is always full with both cars and foot passengers”.

She said in a statement: “An earlier sailing would greatly improve the convenience for commuters and alleviate the long queues experienced at the current first sailing.

“I have written to the Department for Infrastructure to ask that they investigate the option of an the earlier sailing.”

The BBC on Wednesday quoted Paul Coulter, principal of St Patrick’s Primary School in Ballynahinch saying it was so full that he has arrived for the 7.45am sailing “and, three days out of five, not got on”.