Adam Trimingham is right to highlight the current financial problems for the ferry route between Newhaven and Dieppe and the poor passenger facilities and road infrastructure at Newhaven.

However, he does a disservice to the ferry terminal at Dieppe, which has been completely modernised in the past two years.

Although there is a shuttle bus for foot passengers it is only a 15-minute walk to the centre of Dieppe and the rail terminal and road access for traffic to the autoroutes is excellent.

The old Hoverspeed terminal is now a business centre, also beautifully modernised.

It highlights the different attitudes to commerce and transport on the French side of the Channel, where they understand that good infrastructure promotes a stronger economy.

Despite our Government’s trumpeting of a transformed economy, take a visit to compare the quality of life for the average citizen in Dieppe and the Seine Maritime with those in Newhaven and East Sussex.

The problem for the ferry route is that no one on this side of the Channel will put their money where their mouth is to improve the infrastructure.

The increasing numbers of cyclists on the Avenue Verte between London, Newhaven and Paris as well as foot passengers added to the increase in freight and car traffic could make this a successful route, not for day trips but to enjoy the delights of Dieppe and Normandy.

Despite very busy spring-to-autumn traffic, this direct route which saves many car and truck drivers long detours could disappear by 2016. The freight traffic during winter could support at least one crossing a day, maintaining the existing two daily crossings from March to October. Let’s hear it from the politicians.

Roger Hudson, Devonshire Place, Eastbourne