I am, or rather was, a frequent visitor to Dieppe. For many years we had an efficient ferry service running four ferries a day which could put out in most weathers and rarely let anyone down. This route was also favoured by lorry drivers as it offered the shortest journey from Paris to London.

Stena Sealink's decision to replace this ship with fast ferries has been a disaster. Stena decided the route was not viable, deliberately ran down the service and finally pulled out.

Last year Hoverspeed re-opened the route and promised an efficient service. However this was not to be. We had a series of catastrophes with ferries breaking down or being unable to go because of bad weather. This year we were promised a bigger and better ferry which could cope with almost all types of weather.

However I have just been informed the service is closing down at the end of this month and will not resume until March 2001.

What was the point of Hoverspeed making promises it couldn't keep? A 60-mile crossing requires a more substantial craft than a Seacat. Why not bring back proper ferries, giving the lorry drivers their route back and us Francophiles the freedom to go to Dieppe whenever we please?

-Pam Baines, Blatchington Road, Hove