Big Up To Speed Ferries

[Lissa]

Been starting to think about our European holiday today and got onto ferry crossings.

Are totally impressed with the efforts Speed Ferries are making for motorbikes, and with a return fare for less than 31 quid, this is the way we'll be going. I don't know of any other ferry company who have invested this much effort into keeping bikes secure for the crossing.

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j5/Lissasv650/speedferries.jpg

[fubber]

Ah they are back taking bikes again are they! They stopped carrying bikes for a while coz of damage being caused so they must have invested in this new solution - good on them - used them before with absolutely no problems....

[dizzyblonde]

yeah I got annoyed with them last year when they decided to cancel bike crossings after I'd booked with them for our holiday last year. The only way i found out they'd done that was because of a tip off from my friend in France. I'd have got to the ferry and found out that i couldn't go if it wasn't for her.

Its good they've started to allow bikes again because it would be my prefered crossing

[Dangerous Dave]

Good for Speed Ferries, they are a good service now even better that they have started accepting bikes back and have done some work into protecting our bikes!

[mattb200]

mixed feelings on this one.
went with them for 2 years and very good price, no problems etc and then last year they cancel our booking with them even though all paid up as "we no longer carry bikes due to damage etc".

Now fair enough don't take any more bookings but to turn around and cancel existing bookings was really bad I reckon.
May use them agian but almost tempted to use the others even if more expensive - its the principle!

[Lissa]

To be honest, their fares are pretty much on a par with P&O, and the crossing times are almost the same. It's the bike-securing system that has attracted us. Ratcheting your bike down isn't perfect, and this looks to be a much better system.

[mattb200]

admit it does look better secured though, and one less thing to worry about especially if its a bit rough!

[maultin]

that equipment looks excellent. if i ever go to the continent, they will be top of my list.

with the amount of money the steam 'racket' company make every may/june, you would think they would spend some of it on more sophisticated ways of securing bikes than temporary railings, blankets & bits of old rope.

my mates bike got his fairing trashed last year on way back from the TT, coz the half-whit that parked him leaned it too fast off its side stand & smashed it into the railings.

the response from the 'racket' company: 'sorry, without proof it was not damaged before the crossing, we cannot accept liability'

[Biker Biggles]

Last time I was in Dover the Speed Ferry had a sign painted on it protesting about dirty tricks by the big ferry companies trying to put him out of business.He seriously upset them by undercutting their "cartel"prices.Shades of British Airways and Laker.