02 Apr 2025

Analysis of Strangford Lough Crossing Proposal in Light of Recent Policy Documents and Research

Summary of How the Pivotal Platform Article Reflects on the Strangford Lough Crossing Scheme

The Pivotal Platform article “Delivering on Active Travel: a holistic, place-based approach for more sustainable communities” (April 2, 2025) strongly aligns with the rationale for a Strangford Lough crossing by emphasizing several key principles:

  1. The article advocates for a “place-based approach rather than a sectoral one” that integrates climate action with land use policies and development decisions. A fixed Strangford Lough crossing represents this integrated thinking by connecting communities while potentially reducing overall travel distances and associated emissions.
  2. The article highlights the importance of “reducing the overall need to travel” and creating “healthier, safer and more equitable communities.” The proposed crossing would significantly reduce the current 75km detour around Strangford Lough to a direct 0.6 nautical mile (approximately 1.1km) route, dramatically cutting journey distances, fuel consumption, and emissions.
  3. The RTPI research cited in the article emphasizes that the planning system should “prioritise development that enables growth whilst achieving a substantial reduction in travel demand.” The Strangford Lough crossing proposal directly addresses this by providing a fixed connection that would eliminate the current inefficient travel patterns.
  4. The article critiques the Department for Infrastructure’s Active Travel Delivery Plan for not being sufficiently holistic in connecting various community assets. A Strangford Lough crossing would create precisely the kind of comprehensive connection the article advocates for, linking communities on both sides of the lough to schools, healthcare facilities, employment opportunities, and recreational spaces.

Detailed Analysis

I’ll now provide a comprehensive analysis of the proposed Strangford Lough crossing, drawing on the various documents provided and highlighting key policy alignments, economic benefits, and implementation considerations.

Current Context and Challenges

The current ferry service between Strangford and Portaferry presents several significant limitations:

  1. Limited Operating Hours: According to the “DFI 2024-0366 – Barry – Response.pdf,” the ferry service operates from 7:30 AM to 10:45 PM on weekdays with reduced hours on weekends. As highlighted in “18th October 2024 – Open letter to Health Minister Mike Nesbitt MLA,” this “limits access to emergency and after-hours care for residents on the Portaferry side.”
  2. High Operational Costs: The “DFI 2024-0366 – Barry – Response.pdf” reveals that ferry operational costs increased from £2,492,000 in 2016/17 to £3,520,000 in 2023/24, while ferry income only rose from £1,241,000 to £1,434,000 during the same period. This demonstrates a widening financial gap and poor cost recovery ratio.
  3. Economic Limitations: According to the “Sub-Regional Economic Plan Technical Annex” (October 2024), Ards & North Down has:
    • The lowest median wages in Northern Ireland at £450.10 weekly
    • The second-lowest labor productivity (£47,957 output per filled job)
    • The joint lowest export intensity (13% compared to NI average of 17%)
  4. Poor Regional Balance: The “Sub-Regional Economic Plan” (October 2024) identifies Ards & North Down as an area needing focused investment to address persistent regional imbalances.
  5. Alternative Route Inefficiency: As noted in “Strangford Lough Crossing: Connecting Communities, Unlocking Potential” and the “Strangford Lough Ferry Service Strategic Review Report 2013,” the alternative road journey is approximately 75km and takes about 1.5 hours by car, compared to the ferry crossing of 0.6 nautical miles with an 8-minute crossing time.

Evidence of Potential Benefits

Economic Benefits

  1. Enhanced Regional Economic Integration: The “Sub-Regional Economic Plan” (October 2024) emphasizes “Regional Balance” as one of four key economic priorities. A fixed crossing would directly support this by integrating the Ards Peninsula more effectively with the wider regional economy.
  2. Lessons from the Cleddau Bridge: As documented in “SLC – Cleddau bridge v Ferry traffic.docx,” the Welsh Cleddau Bridge provides compelling evidence of how a fixed crossing can transform regional connectivity:
    • Initial traffic of 885,900 crossings in 1975 grew to 4,745,000 annually by 2024
    • Current traffic is 20 times higher than the Strangford Ferry’s 237,250 annual crossings
    • An estimated 126 million more crossings over 49 years compared to maintaining a ferry service
  3. Employment and Growth: The “Sub-Regional Economic Plan Technical Annex” shows that while Ards & North Down has the third-highest rate of tertiary education attainment (44.8%), it has the lowest productivity, suggesting underutilized human capital that could be better leveraged with improved connectivity.
  4. Tourism Development: The “Strangford Lough Crossing: Connecting Communities, Unlocking Potential” document highlights potential tourism expansion through “seamless access to attractions on both sides of the lough.” This aligns with tourism growth objectives noted in Ards & North Down’s “Integrated Strategy for Tourism, Regeneration and Economic Development 2018-2023.”

Healthcare Benefits

  1. Emergency Service Access: The “18th October 2024 – Open letter to Health Minister Mike Nesbitt MLA” notes how a permanent crossing would provide 24/7 access, “potentially saving lives in emergency situations” compared to the current limited ferry hours.
  2. Bengoa Report Alignment: The same document details how a crossing would support several key aims of the Bengoa report (“Systems, Not Structures – Changing Health and Social Care”) by:
    • Improving access to services, especially for rural populations
    • Addressing staffing challenges by expanding the pool of healthcare workers
    • Supporting aging populations in rural areas
    • Enhancing system integration through better connectivity
  3. Downpatrick Hospital Utilization: The letter notes that “the new hospital in Downpatrick is currently underutilized” and a permanent crossing could “significantly expand the catchment area for the hospital, potentially increasing patient numbers and improving resource utilization.”

Environmental Considerations

  1. Carbon Reduction: The “Strangford Lough Crossing: Connecting Communities, Unlocking Potential” document highlights “carbon reduction from eliminated ferry emissions and shorter journeys.” This aligns with the Department for Infrastructure’s focus on decarbonization as mentioned in the “Active Travel Delivery Plan” (November 2024).
  2. Active Travel Integration: The “Strangford Lough Crossing Investment Opportunity” (February 2025) mentions potential for “sustainable transport links” and “active travel provision” which aligns with the Active Travel Delivery Plan’s objectives.
  3. Climate Change Act Alignment: The proposed crossing supports the requirements of The Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 mentioned in the “Sub-Regional Economic Plan” by potentially reducing overall travel distances and associated emissions.

Implementation Considerations

  1. Investment Structure: The “Strangford Lough Crossing Investment Opportunity” (February 2025) proposes:
    • A £300-400M investment
    • A public-private partnership with 1:3 public-private leverage ratio
    • Multiple revenue streams including tolls and development contributions
  2. Policy Alignment: The project shows strong alignment with multiple government priorities:
    • The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland’s letter (MC_25_62, February 26, 2025) references the UK Government’s “number one mission” of “kickstarting economic growth” and the forthcoming “10-year Infrastructure Strategy”
    • The Sub-Regional Economic Plan’s focus on regional balance and sustainable economic development
    • The Department for Infrastructure’s focus on improved connectivity and decarbonization
  3. Current Position: The Department for the Economy’s response (INV-0248-2025, March 8, 2025) indicates that “Officials have engaged with DfI, who have advised there would currently be insufficient economic benefits to justify such a major investment.” However, this appears to contradict the evidence from the Cleddau Bridge case study and the wider economic benefits outlined above.

Recommendations

Based on the comprehensive analysis of the documentation provided, I would recommend the following actions:

  1. Conduct a Full Feasibility Study: Commission a detailed economic impact assessment that fully accounts for the potential transformative effects evidenced by comparable projects like the Cleddau Bridge.
  2. Integrate with Active Travel Planning: Ensure the crossing design incorporates active travel infrastructure in alignment with the Department for Infrastructure’s Active Travel Delivery Plan and the principles outlined in the Pivotal Platform article.
  3. Consider Cross-Departmental Benefits: Evaluate the proposal using a holistic, place-based approach (as advocated in the Pivotal Platform article) that considers benefits across healthcare, education, tourism, and economic development, not just transportation metrics.
  4. Explore Innovative Funding Models: Investigate the public-private partnership model proposed in the “Strangford Lough Crossing Investment Opportunity” document, potentially leveraging the £45 million of dedicated funding for Local Economic Partnerships announced in the Sub-Regional Economic Plan.
  5. Align with Regional Balance Objectives: Position the project as a flagship initiative for addressing the regional imbalances identified in the Sub-Regional Economic Plan, particularly for Ards & North Down.

The comprehensive evidence suggests that a fixed Strangford Lough crossing has the potential to deliver transformative economic, social, and environmental benefits that align strongly with current policy priorities across multiple government departments. The project exemplifies the holistic, place-based approach to infrastructure development advocated in the Pivotal Platform article and could serve as a model for future integrated infrastructure planning.