Sea ferry services are enjoying a boom summer, according to latest figures.
A total of 12.4 million people travelled on UK domestic and to-and-from-Europe ferry routes in the period May-July a 4% rise on the same period last year, said industry body Discover Ferries.
The three-month figures were boosted by a good July, with passenger numbers up 5.4%.
The May-July total included 5.7 million who travelled on UK ferry routes to and from the continent a 7.2% increase on the same period last year. The July to-and-from-the-continent ferry total of 2.3 million was 10.7% up on July 2012, with Dover-Calais services doing particularly well.
A total of 1,081,000 cars were carried on all ferry services in July a 6% rise on the same month last year. The number of coaches carried exceeded 20,000 a 10.6% increase on July 2012.
Discover Ferries director Bill Gibbons said: “These latest figures show an accelerating summer trend for ferry travel, which appeals particularly to families and couples in their own cars, and groups on coaches.
“There is no doubt that the industry has recovered from any Olympic effect which last year affected normal summer travel patterns by ferry.”
