Read your article on the profusion of cruise ships with great interest. I live near Southampton and we have similar problems caused by the number of ships in town on the one day.
Slightly different in that we are an embarkation/ disembarkation port mainly, rather than a port of call. The city still gains tremendous revenue from this with loading up, taxis, pre-stay hotels, etc.
Our Associated British Ports (ABP) love the days when there are five ships in. It’s "good" for the city. Never mind the city clogs up - we are on the south coast and there is only one main route into town. Also the main route in is the same as for Bournemouth so in the summer the motorway back-ups are phenomenal.
During the football season Southampton FC playing at home puts an additional burden on the infrastructure. Plus there is an IKEA in the centre of town and on the docks route. Taxis become in short supply and there was a report in our local Echo last week that complaining passengers said it took them over an hour to exit the dock gates.. This is their lasting memory.
Two years ago a major revamp was done changing the traffic flow. This doesn’t seem to have helped.
Now no one seems to have a solution only that ABP should spread the ships over more days. Weekends are of course the favourite. It’s what passengers want.
Nina Ball
Brockenhurst, Hants
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