Travelling after Brexit

I am not sure how much the Portsmouth/Plymouth/Poole ferry routes are used for commercial traffic? I imagine it is the mainstay of their operation despite being very popular with the tourist trade. Since Brexit some ferry companies have increased capacity and direct services from Ireland to France in order to bypass the UK, including Brittany Ferries I understand. This could have a knock on impact on the UK-France routes in future depending on whether the UK routes remain viable and what boats, if any, they redeploy to Ireland? Obviously it won't be until we are post COVID before we know if or how this will impact on the Western Channel routes.

David

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I'd be rather miffed if BF pulled out of Portsmouth entirely, being only a 10-15 minute drive. Given its easy access to the motorway network, its survival in preference to Poole seems more likely if cuts are made.

David

That is good to see and hopefully will continue to be the case. It's probably a bit too early to judge the impact of post Brexit commercial trade but I thought it was worth flagging up as under the "new" rules as the UK is now a third country changes are being made to ferry routes to Europe. From what I have read the increase in capacity direct from Ireland to France is something in the order or 2 to 3 times compared to pre Brexit. It is possible that it could hit the Dover area harder than the the Western Channel routes. Only time will tell!

David

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In view of the 'open' border with Eire, is this a sneaky way into the Schengen area bypassing the 90 day limit? Bit of an expensive way to get there though.

Second that, however, Brexit and all that has gone with it e.g. total change of life style for more than 12 months now due to pandemic, gives one time to reflect, and after making a new tick sheet of all the requirements/costs for traveling overthere after Brexit/pandemic, I am begining to wonder if it is all worth it.

Still got return flexi tickets Portsmouth-Caen so would like to use them, but going forward, still have to wear face masks on some beaches in Spain, do i really fancy that ,  having to listen to the news daily just to check if monsieur Macron is going to close ports/borders on a whim

we are very lucky to live where we live, so do we really need all that hassle, only time will tell.  

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For those not using a vehicle, a similar loop hole may exist via Gibraltar. The border has just reopened and all you need to do is fly in and walk 50yds into Spain -  passports are currently not being checked/stamped as the thousands of Spanish who cross the border each day for work don’t tend to carry them. These are interim arrangements that will apply for some time post Brexit so still likely to be in place when UK flights resume.

Good try!   But Ireland is not in the Schengen zone so passports will be scanned when you arrive  by ferry into France or Spain from Ireland,  as they are when arriving from UK.