Speed Ferries, a welcome alternative

Freddie Laker was the pioneer of the no frills airline service designed to make air travel much more accessible to all.

He challenged the big boys to provide a much fairer pricing structure but they killed off his dream and bankrupted Laker Airline.

His legacy though was to change travel for ever.

Since then, the likes of Ryanair, Easyjet and Flybe have taken the model further and slashed hundreds of pounds from the cost of flights on so many destinations.

Until 2004 though, ferry operators have managed to keep their extortionate tariffs high as they monopolies the water ways.

Getting to France 10 years a go would have cost more than a package holiday to Spain including your flight and even today the likes of P&O or Brittany Ferries make you pay through the nose to cross this narrow straight of sea.

Then came Speed Ferries, a tiny company operating its lone vessel, Speed One put of Boulogne and Dover in direct competition to the Cartels.

Its famous slogan 'Fight the Pirates' is a direct dig at the large operators who the owner Curt Stavis sought to challenge and it appears he is winning.

Speed Ferries now account for over 20% of all crossings.

Travelling Speed Ferries is easy too. It is a very basic service but for a 50 minute crossing there is no need for frills.