Council confirms position on possible North Devon to Wales ferry

North Devon Council has said it is not currently involved in talks over a proposed ferry service connecting the area with Swansea, despite strong public support for the idea in Wales.

On 10 January, the BBC reported that a consultation in Swansea found 98 per cent of more than 4,000 respondents supported a fast ferry across the Bristol Channel, which could provide a direct route to southwest England and bypass the M4 and M5.

Swansea Council said some “strong opportunities” had been identified, but added that further feasibility work would be needed, including questions over ferry berthing locations, investment requirements, and zero-carbon operations.

Ocean Prime, the maritime company that carried out the consultation, has been exploring the concept, including meetings with local experts and councils in southwest England, such as North Devon Council, Somerset Council, and Torridge District Council.

A Swansea Council spokesman said: “Now that market testing has been carried out in the Swansea area, meetings will be arranged between Swansea Council, Ocean Prime, and councils in southwest England to further explore feasibility.”

However, in response to questions from the North Devon Gazette, North Devon Council confirmed it is not actively involved.

A council spokesperson said: “We are not currently in discussions regarding a ferry link between South Wales and North Devon.

“A ferry link between South Wales and North Devon has been explored historically, and as such there are previous feasibility studies available, but there are not any active discussions or considerations about such a project being made at this time.

“The development of a link between North Devon and South Wales has always been of interest, but it is accepted that there is a lot of work to be done to identify the type of service that could be provided. While Ilfracombe can welcome foot passengers, other types of service would need substantial investment.”

The proposed Swansea–North Devon ferry is envisioned as a hydrogen-powered vessel around 55m long, carrying passengers, cars, and some cargo at speeds of up to 40 knots. 

Previous attempts to launch a similar service, called Severnlink, between Swansea and Ilfracombe in 2010 fell through due to funding issues.