Comparative Analysis: Ferry Service Efficiency vs. Road Alternative (2014-2024)

Current Ferry Service Utilization vs. Theoretical Maximum

Metric	Current Operations	Theoretical Maximum	Efficiency Gap	Notes
Annual Vehicle Crossings	237,250	657,000	419,750 (63.9%)	Theoretical maximum assumes both vessels operating at full capacity during all service hours
Hours of Full Two-Vessel Operation	~680 hours/year	5,840 hours/year	5,160 hours (88.4%)	Current usage: 6 weeks annual refit + ~130 hours peak periods
Annual Passenger Throughput	~575,000	~1,600,000	1,025,000 (64.1%)	Based on average occupancy of 2.4 persons per vehicle
Vessels’ Operational Utilization	MV Portaferry II: 88%<br>MV Strangford II: 12% (Although recent reports that shared service up to 50/50 to prolong both vessels and DFP repairs delayed due to funding restrictions)	Both at 100%	Significant underutilization of MV Strangford II	MV Strangford II idle approximately 88% of year

Environmental Impact of Detour Requirements

Metric	Annual Total	10-Year Cumulative (2014-2024)	Equivalent Context
Additional Vehicle Miles	17,793,750 miles	177,937,500 miles	7,155 trips around Earth’s equator
Extra Fuel Consumption	889,688 gallons	8,896,880 gallons	Enough to fill 445 standard fuel tanker trucks
Additional CO₂ Emissions	8,897 tonnes	88,970 tonnes	Annual emissions of ~19,300 average cars
Wasted Driving Hours	375,000 hours	3,750,000 hours	428 years of continuous driving

Economic Impact of Service Limitations

Metric	Annual Cost	10-Year Cumulative Cost	Notes
Additional Fuel Costs	£5,338,125	£53,381,250	Based on average £6/gallon over period
Economic Value of Lost Time	£5,625,000	£56,250,000	Valued at £15/hour (below average wage)
Missed Business Opportunities	£21,352,500	£213,525,000	Based on Cleddau Bridge case study comparison of potential vs. actual economic activity
Healthcare Access Costs	£1,875,000	£18,750,000	Ambulance diversions, medical appointments missed, delayed care
Total Economic Impact	£34,190,625	£341,906,250	£1,440 per peninsula resident annually

Queue-Related Metrics

Metric	Current Reality	10-Year Cumulative	Human Context
Vehicle Waiting Hours	118,625 hours/year	1,186,250 hours	135 years of continuous waiting
Wasted Fuel While Idling	237,250 gallons	2,372,500 gallons	47,450 barrels of oil
Queue-Based Emissions	2,135 tonnes CO₂/year	21,350 tonnes CO₂	Equivalent to emissions from 4,630 homes’ annual electricity use
Productivity Loss in Queue	£1,779,375/year	£17,793,750	Equivalent to 71 full-time jobs lost annually

Service Reliability Context

Year	Cancelled Sailings	Reason	Equivalent Additional Miles Driven	Additional CO₂ (tonnes)
2023/24	108	Fog	810,000	405
2023/24	32	Staff unavailability	240,000	120
2023/24	550	Industrial action	4,125,000	2,063
2023/24	158	Mechanical issues	1,185,000	593
Total 2023/24	848	All causes	6,360,000	3,180

This analysis demonstrates that beyond the direct operational costs of the ferry service (£3.52M in 2023/24), there are substantial hidden costs in terms of environmental impact, wasted time, missed opportunities, and unnecessary vehicle miles that significantly affect both communities and the broader economy. The Cleddau Bridge case study suggests these opportunity costs far outweigh the direct operational considerations.