Press

News 27 January 2020

2 hrs ago

More than 17k sign petition to re-open ferry crossing between Harwich and Denmark

By Rebecca Jones @rebeccajones932 Reporter





A PETITION to re-open a ferry crossing between Harwich and Denmark has collected more than 17,000 signatures so far.
Campaigners are continuing to petition for the relaunch of the Harwich to Esbjerg ferry crossing, which was ground to a halt by shipping company DFDS in 2014.
A petition group was launched five years ago by shipping enthusiast George Moore when he was 14.
Since then the group has grown to nearly 2,500 members on Facebook from England, Denmark, Sweden and Norway.
James Drennan, who helps run the group, said the group’s website has prompted many stories of hardship and frustration because of the route’s disappearance.
He said: “Many of these are people who have family in the UK or Scandinavia and miss the ability to travel by car to visit with all the creature comforts having their own vehicle gives them.”
However, he said there has been little interest in the UK recently due to the “impasse in UK Parliament on Brexit”.
He said: “With the promise of our departure from the EU imminent, perhaps there will be renewed interest in forging links with our Scandinavian neighbours.”
The campaign group has received a positive response from Markus Lindbom, the chief commercial officer at Stena Line.
Mr Lindbom said: “It is gratifying that there is such a large group of people interested in a new ferry route.
“We are constantly looking for new opportunities to enhance and develop our route network to better serve our existing and potential customers.”
A DFDS spokesman said she was aware of the strong interest many people have in re-opening the route.
She said: “Unfortunately, the route was unable to compete with low-cost airlines and other travel options.
“The decline in passenger numbers began in 1999 when duty free sales disappeared and reduced the passenger numbers from about 300,000 annually to under 100,000.
“Passenger numbers continued to decline, and even though we did try to save the route by deploying a combined passenger and freight ferry to reduce costs and have freight contribute to the route, we still saw the competition from low-cost flights and changed travel patterns towards shorter weekend trips kept reducing passenger numbers.
She added: “Market developments do not give us any hope there will be a basis for a viable passenger service in the future.”







28th January 2019.


11,000 sign petition to reopen the Harwich to Esbjerg ferry crossing
By Rebecca Jones @rebeccajones932 Reporter

FERRY CROSSING: A DFDS ferry
A PETITION to reopen a ferry crossing from Harwich to Esbjerg, in Denmark, has reached more than 11,000 signatures.
Campaigners are pushing for the relaunch of the Harwich to Esbjerg ferry crossing which was scrapped by shipping company DFDS in 2014.
The petitioning group was set up by shipping enthusiast George Moore four years ago when he was 14 years old.
Since that time the group has grown to nearly 2,000 members on Facebook from England, Denmark, Sweden and Norway.
James Drennan, who helps run the group, said its members miss the opportunity to travel between Harwich and Esbjerg by ferry to visit family or go on holiday.
He said: "Reopening the Harwich to Esbjerg service will promote the possibility of long-term sustainable travel without adding to the constant traffic delays on the German autobahns and, with the upgrade of the A120, access to Harwich will be greatly improved, hopefully encouraging more haulage and freight operators to avoid the delays on the Dover routes which are bad enough at the best of times.
"Whether from Calais, Rotterdam or Amsterdam the journey through the roads to Hamburg and beyond is a nightmare of heavy traffic, long delays and noxious air levels making the journey both unpleasant and intimidating."
DFDS said it stopped the ferry crossing blaming spiralling costs, falling passenger numbers and freight being transferred to roads.
Mr Drennan added: "These are acceptable reasons on the surface but for those who are unable to fly, or wish to travel by car for the convenience of their own vehicle whilst abroad, not to mention the ability to take as much luggage when on holiday or visiting family, the alternative is the long journey by road through northern Europe."

DFDS has been contacted for a comment.

Kirsten Milner
When will DFDS accept, that their argument about tax free sales and low cost air lines no longer holds water ?
Tax free sales should be reinstated pretty soon and none of us in the group are interested in flying, which is an increasingly hateful mode of transport anyway !

andrewtribble
How do I sign this Petition, we need 'Our' link to Holland.

Chris Nicolls                           
Germany, England, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Greetings from Hamburg, where the other ferry used to go. Esjberg will be useful from Hamburg as well.



To sign the petition visit:
 https://www.change.org/p/reopen-a-direct-ferry-from-the-uk-to-denmark




News 2nd March 2019

12,000 sign petition to bring back Danish ferry
By Rebecca Jones @rebeccajones932 Reporter

SIGNATURES on a petition to reopen a ferry crossing from Harwich to Esbjerg, in Denmark, have nearly reached the 12,000 mark.
Campaigners are pushing for the relaunch of the Harwich to Esbjerg ferry crossing which was scrapped by shipping company DFDS in 2014.
The petitioning group was set up by shipping enthusiast George Moore four years ago when he was 14 years old.
Since that time the group has grown to nearly 2,000 members on Facebook from England, Denmark, Sweden and Norway.
James Drennan, who helps run the group, said its members miss the opportunity to travel between Harwich and Esbjerg by ferry to visit family or go on holiday.
He said: "With the backing of close to 12,000 signatories, and members both sides of the North Sea working hard on the subject, the campaign group is calling for an end to the long haul across northern Europe to visit family and friends in all parts of Scandinavia and the UK.
"With the advances in cleaner fuels and the return of duty-free sales, surely now is the time to restore this important link with continental Europe.
"The campaign group is ready and willing to engage with all parties with the means and ability to restore this route and can be contacted via the links."
A DFSD spokesman said: "We fully understand the issues our closing of the Harwich-Esbjerg route has caused for our loyal passengers, who used the service regularly.
"Closing the route was in no way an easy decision for DFDS to make but unfortunately, it was a necessary one. Despite our best efforts, the route was not financially viable for DFDS to continue operating and sadly, we do not see the situation changing. The loss of tax-free sales and increased competition from low-cost airlines meant that passenger numbers on the route fell from 300,000 to 80,000. This, in addition to a change in the flows of industrial cargo between the UK and Denmark meant that we lost all hopes of being able to create a viable route."




Published  in JydskeVestkysten 27 okt. 2019 kl. 07:00

Esbjerg
13.600 vil have Englandsbåden hjem til Esbjerg: Appellerer til ny dansk klimaregering
1/1
Drømmene om Esbjerg-Harwich lever stadig hos tusindvis af dedikerede fans af færgeruten. Nu er der en ny regering og dermed måske også et nyt håb, mener de. Arkivfoto.
De mange mennesker, som gerne ser en genåbning af passagerruten mellem Esbjerg og England, skriver nu igen til danske politikere - denne gang til den nye S-regering og med nye klimaargumenter.


27 okt. 2019 kl. 07:00
Ken Mathiesen kma@jv.dk og Heidi Bjerre-Christensen hbc@jv.dk

Esbjerg: Selv om det er fem år siden, at den legendariske Englandsbåd sejlede sin sidste tur mellem Esbjerg og Harwich, kæmper dedikerede kræfter ufortrødent med at få rederiet DFDS til at genoplive den 139-årige gamle passagerrute.
Således har den meget aktive Facebook-gruppe Reopen Harwich-Esbjerg Ferry med administrator Hasse Mogensen Pedersen i spidsen netop henvendt sig til transport- og boligminister Benny Engelbrecht (S) samt medlemmerne af Folketingets Transportudvalg.
Facebook-gruppen repræsentere omkring 2.100 familier og 13.600 underskrifter fra personer, som ønsker Englandsruten genåbnet.
Tidligere har gruppen også skrevet til daværende statsminister Lars Løkke Rasmussen (V) og andre relevante danske og britiske politikere, men et nyt folketing og en ny regering får nu gruppen til at prøve igen.
- Vi har nu haft folketingsvalg, et klimavalg, som klart afspejles i Folketingets sammensætning. Ny regering, ny minister, nyt og helt anderledes transportudvalg og nye muligheder - måske også for os, begrunder Hasse M. Pedersen.

Kampen
Folkene bag kampen for genåbning en passagerrute mellem Esbjerg og England har netop åbnet en ny hjemmeside, som også anvender de historiske briller. www.reopen-the-harwich-to-esbjerg-ferry-group.com
Aktuelt har underskriftindsamlingen 13.556 underskrifter. Den findes på www.change.org/p/reopen-a-direct-ferry-from-the-uk-to-denmark
Klinger godt
Netop klimaspørgsmålet er blandt den øvrige argumentation et nyt aspekt i henvendelsen til de danske politikere. Baseret på beregninger fra blandt andet det britiske transportministerium påpeger Hasse M. Pedersen, at færgetransport sammen med togtransport er væsentlig mere skånsomt for miljøet sammenlignet med bil og fly.
Således er udledning af CO2 per person per kilometer med færge og tog henholdsvis 22,54 gram og 17,14 gram mod flyrejsernes 115 gram, og biler med to passagerer på 63 gram.
Med henvendelsen medfølger også et kort, som illustrerer mange af gruppens medlemmers lange rejse via Den Engelske Kanal.
- Den viser vel på bedste vis, at noget er helt galt, både for miljø og klima, men også for de som nu må rejse over utroligt lange afstande, siger Hasse M. Pedersen og fortsætter:
- Det er vores håb, at vi med denne henvendelse og alt det ovenstående kan få politisk interesse således, at vi kan få genetableret den store mangel på infrastruktur over Nordsøen til gavn for både samfundet, miljøet og klimaet.
Foreholdt gruppens henvendelse siger Anders Kronborg (S), valgt i Esbjerg som folketingsmedlem for Socialdemokratiet og dermed tæt på regeringen:
- Klimaargumentet, hvis det forholder sig som oplyst, klinger godt i mine øren, men Brexit kan måske også give nogle muligheder. Jeg vil i hvert fald gerne give dette noget tid på mit skrivebord.



Published  in the Danish Press January 22, 2019 at. 13:12







Skriver til statsministeren: 11.000 borgere vil have Englandsbåden hjem til Esbjerg
22 jan. 2019 kl. 13:12

Ken Mathiesen kma@jv.dk og Heidi Bjerre-Christensen hbc@jv.dk
Gruppen "Reopen Harwich to Esbjerg Ferry" har 11.000 underskrifter bag sig i håbet om en genåbning af Englandsruten. Nu har gruppen skrevet efter støtte hos et væld af politikere. Arkivfoto.
Gruppen, der på femte år kæmper for at få genåbnet passagersejladsen mellem Esbjerg og Harwich, har bedt adskillige britiske og danske politikere, herunder statsministeren, om hjælp og støtte.
Esbjerg: Selvom det er mere fire år siden, at den legendariske Englandsbåd sejlede sin sidste tur mellem Esbjerg og Harwich, forsøger dedikerede kræfter fortsat at få rederiet DFDS til at genoplive den 139-årige gamle passagerrute.
Således har den meget aktive Facebook-gruppe Reopen Harwich-Esbjerg Ferry med administrator Hasse Mogensen Pedersen i spidsen skrevet et personligt brev til statsminister Lars Løkke Rasmussen (V), til lederen af oppositionen, Mette Frederiksen, til medlemmerne af Transport- Bygnings- og Boligudvalget, relevante ministre og partiformænd. Desuden er en lignende henvendelse også sendt til relevante britiske politikere.
Bag sig har Hasse M. Pedersen i gruppen 2.000 medlemmer og ikke færre end cirka 11.000 underskrifter fra fortrinsvis danskere og briter, som altså nu beder de forskellige politikere om hjælp og støtte. Fælles for alle sammen er, at de savner muligheden for at kunne rejse med bil mellem Danmark og Storbritannien.
Annonce
Historisk
Ruten havde eksisteret i 139 år siden 1875, da DFDS offentliggjorde lukningen af ruten i april 2014.Passagertallet var faldet drastisk fra 300.000 til 80.000 passagerer.
Selvom DFDS har lukket passagerdelen fortsætter rederiet med fragt fra Esbjerg til Immingham.
Mindre belastende
- Vores gruppe har kontaktet stort set alle rederier omkring Nordsøen, og svarene fra disse rederier har på misforstået vis oftest drejet sig om økonomiske betænkeligheder på grund af de nu så billige flyrejser - noget som blandt andet førte til lukningen af ruten. De fleste kan ikke fordrage dette billige alternativ, skriver Hasse M. Pedersen blandt andet.
Han mener desuden, at turismen mellem Storbritannien og Danmark og de øvrige nordiske lande har lidt et stort tab, ligesom han peger på, at der er en unødig miljømæssig belastning, fordi bilrejsen nu går via Den Engelske Kanal.
- Vi spekulerer på, om der er politisk vilje til at hjælpe en genåbning af en sådan rute på vej for ad den vej at nedbringe de nuværende så store og unødvendige udledninger. Brexit - uanset hvilken form, det så bliver - vil uden tvivl bringe flere og større miljømæssige, infrastrukturelle og unødvendige problemer med sig, og måske vil en flytning at denne trafik fra land til hav have en større betydning. Afhængig af det Brexit, som kommer, vil toldfrit salg jo også blive en faktor af en vis betydning, skriver han og fortsætter:
- En genåbning af Esbjerg-Harwich-ruten vil uden tvivl lette den nu så meget større kommende trafik-og miljøbelastning på langt sigt. Det ville på sigt hjælpe meget med de kommende problemer, som Brexit repræsenterer på godt og ondt.
Lennart Damsbo-Andersen (S), formanden for Folketingets transportudvalg, har kvitteret for henvendelsen og på vegne af udvalget bedt transportminister Ole Birk Olesen (LA) om at bevare muligheder for at genåbne færgeruten Esbjerg-Harwich med de dertil knyttede trafikale og miljømæssige fordele.




And in English:


A brief note of activity in Denmark: (with apologies on translation)

11,000 citizens want the England boat home to Esbjerg
BY: KEN MATHIESEN KMA@JV.DK AND HEIDI BJERRE-CHRISTENSEN HBC@JV.DK

Hasse M. Pedersen, an admin in the group of 2,000 members and no fewer than about 11,000 signatures on the petition from mainly Danes and Britons, now asks the various politicians for help and support. Common to all is that they miss the opportunity to travel by car between Denmark and the UK.

Historic
The route had existed for 139 years since 1875, when DFDS announced the closure of the route in April 2014. The passenger number had dropped drastically from 300,000 to 80,000 passengers.

Although DFDS has closed the passenger section, the shipping company continues to carry freight from Esbjerg to Immingham.

Less stressful

Our group has contacted virtually all shipping companies around the North Sea, and the answers from these shipping companies have misunderstood most often about economic concerns because of the now cheap flights - something that among other things led to the closing of the route. Most people cannot claim this cheap alternative, writes Hasse M. Pedersen.

He also believes that tourism between the UK and Denmark and the other Nordic countries has suffered a great loss, just as he points out that there is an unnecessary environmental burden, because the car journey now goes via the English Channel.

We wonder if there is a political will to help reopen such a route in order to reduce the current large and unnecessary emissions. Brexit - no matter what form it gets - will undoubtedly bring more and more environmental, infrastructure and unnecessary problems, and perhaps a move to land-to-sea traffic will be of greater importance. Depending on Brexit, duty-free sales will also become a factor of some importance, he writes and continues:

A reopening of the Esbjerg - Harwich route will undoubtedly facilitate the much larger future traffic and environmental impact in the long term. In the long run, it would help a lot with the upcoming issues that Brexit represents both good and bad.

Lennart Damsbo-Andersen (S), the chairman of the Folketing's Transport Committee, has acknowledged the inquiry and on behalf of the committee asked Transport Minister Ole Birk Olesen (LA) to maintain opportunities to reopen the ferry service Esbjerg-Harwich with the related traffic and environmental benefits.




 



Published By the Reopen the Harwich to Esbjerg Ferry Group

Cross channel traffic facing chaos in case of a no-deal Brexit

News provided by Reopen the Harwich to Esbjerg Ferry Group on Friday 15th Feb 2019


The Harwich to Esbjerg route  would not only provide the extra freight capacity but restore a much-needed passenger route missed by so many.

Tourist and business travellers will be badly affected by the government’s emphasis on freight and their plans for Operation Stack in the planning for post Brexit without a deal.

Dover is the busiest passenger port on the planet with over 80% of all passenger traffic by sea and tunnel going through Dover and Folkestone, and over 20 million people travelling by car every year. Long delays both sides of the channel while vehicles undergo stricter security checks could see waiting times extend from minutes to hours and a repeat of the long tailbacks of 2016 and 2018 when there were delays of up to 14 hours. Not only has the government’s contracts for extra freight capacity hit a hurdle with the cancellation of the Seaborne contract, but they have made no provision for passenger traffic.

RHEG, a campaign group set up in 2015, is calling for the restoration of the DFDS route from Harwich to Esbjerg which would not only provide the extra freight capacity required but restore a much-needed passenger service that has been missed by many, both sides of the North Sea, since its closure in 2014 after 140 years of service. With Sirena Seaways, since leased to Brittany Ferries, returning to DFDS in April it gives them a golden opportunity to provide long term sustainable travel and provide alternatives to the bottleneck that is Dover. Our long-term trade worldwide post Brexit in any event would see many benefits with the re-establishment of the route, both in the immediate vicinity of the ports and further afield.

With the backing of close to 12.000 signatories, and members both sides of the North Sea working hard on the subject, the RHEG group are calling for an end to the long haul across northern Europe to visit family and friends in all parts of Scandinavia and the UK. With the advances in cleaner fuels and the return of duty-free sales, surely now is the time to restore this important link with continental Europe.

RHEG is ready and willing to engage with all parties with the means and ability to restore this route and can be contacted via the links.

rheguk@gmail.com


Press release distributed by Pressat on behalf of Reopen the Harwich to Esbjerg Ferry Group, on Friday 15 February, 2019.