Strangford and Rathlin Island ferries get price hikes - here's how much the new fares will set you back
The Strangford and Rathlin Island ferries are both to get fare hikes under new moves from Stormont.
The increases are less than 10% up from current charges, but will apply to every journey.
The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) today announced a consultation on the charges, which runs until 5pm on November 26.
The hikes will see the cost of single passenger journey on the Strangford Ferry rise by 10p, up from £1.30 to £1.40; a return increases by 20p.
The cost of bringing a car up to six metres long onto the Co Down ferry, which travels between Strangford and Portaferry, rises from £7.70 to £8; a return trip for the same vehicle is going to increase by 60p.
Smartcards, which cover 20 journeys, are going up from £16 for an adult and £7.30 for a child to £16.60 and £7.60 respectively.
The Strangford ferry is an important daily route for commuters and teenagers who live on the Ards Peninsula, but work or go to school in the Downpatrick area.
Rathlin’s ferry trip between the island and Ballycastle Harbour on the Co Antrim coast rises from £8 each way to £8.45, while a child’s ticket increases from £4 to £4.20.
The DfI supports both routes and provides an ongoing subsidy for ferry services, stating it does so in order that fares “can be kept as low as possible”.
Prices for the Strangford ferry last went up around 18 months ago, though the hikes were far greater; a single trip’s cost rose by 30%, for example. At the time, the DfI said fares hadn’t increased since 2009 and were needed due to budget pressures.