The two things that actually jump out of this report

1) "More cars and bikes were carried last month than in October 2004, up 2.8 per cent to a record level for the month. "

Perhaps I'm just an old cynic "what me" but is it surprising that these figures correspond to the FARE REDUCTIONS end of season.

Cut fares 'specially for cars and bikes and Oh! Look we've carried more passengers..... I wonder how that happened ?

...... but the vested interests with cars to hire in the Isle of Man don't want that.

2) "The Heysham route shows strong growth at the expense of the Liverpool route."

As the Seacat can't sail if there is more than a reasonable wave and everyone gets sent to HEYSHAM......Oh! what a shock.

I wonder how many visitors have been switched to Heysham, from either side like this, and have vowed never to go back to the Isle of Man ?

SeaContainers owned the Steam Packet Co. and, surprise surprise, HEYSHAM DOCKS.

Of course they concentrated on developing the Heysham services and it will take 5 years or more to re-develop the Liverpool service, if they can provide a ferry that can sail day in day out, and with freight traffic.