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.