Do Bridges Kill Villages? What UK and Irish Evidence Really Says About Strangford–Portaferry

During an Adjournment Debate on traffic flows in Newtownards, Kellie Armstrong MLA said she does “not agree with the idea of a bridge from Portaferry to Strangford”, arguing that:

“The villages would end overnight because the bridge would not be where the ferry currently crosses. We all know that taking a road away from those villages means that they will die on the vine as time moves on.”

It’s a vivid image – two villages “dying on the vine” the moment a bridge opens slightly away from the current ferry slipways.

But when we look at what has actually happened in the UK and Ireland when ferries or in-town crossings were replaced by new out-of-town bridges, the evidence points in exactly the opposite direction.

This blog sets that evidence out calmly and clearly.

The Core Claim: “If the Bridge Isn’t Exactly at the Ferry, the Villages Die”

Kellie’s argument rests on two linked ideas:

1. A Strangford–Portaferry bridge would land slightly away from the existing slipways.
2. If traffic doesn’t funnel through the exact current crossing point, the villages will “end overnight”.

That is a testable claim. We can look at what happened elsewhere when:

• a ferry landing inside a town or village was replaced by
• a bigger out-of-town bridge or bypass, shifting traffic away from the ferry queue and tight streets.

Let’s walk through the real-world examples.

Skye Bridge: Kyleakin Didn’t Die – It Boomed

Then:
The Kyle of Lochalsh–Kyleakin ferry ran right into the village of Kyleakin on the Isle of Skye. When proposals for the Skye Bridge emerged, many locals feared exactly what is claimed for Strangford and Portaferry today: that traffic would bypass them and the village would wither.

What actually happened:

• The bridge opened in 1995, landing outside the village core.
• A detailed socio-economic study later found that the bridge significantly improved reliability and access, making the route more attractive for travel and trade. (hitrans.org.uk)
• Once punitive tolls were removed in 2004, tourism “went mad on Skye” – far from losing visitors, the island (and villages like Kyleakin and Broadford) experienced a surge in tourist numbers, including day-trippers. (The Scotsman)

Today you’d be hard pressed to find anyone on Skye calling for the return of the ferry. As one local put it: nobody wants to go back to “waiting for a ferry” – the bridge is now seen as essential to island life. (The Scotsman)

Lesson for Strangford and Portaferry:
Moving the crossing slightly away from the old slipway did not kill Kyleakin. The village adapted, benefitted from more reliable access, and sits within a much stronger visitor economy than in the ferry days.

South Queensferry: From Ferry Queues to “Scotland’s Most Beautiful Town”

Then:
Ferries once linked North and South Queensferry across the Forth. The later Forth Road Bridge (1964) and, more recently, the Queensferry Crossing (2017) sit outside the tight, historic streets of South Queensferry. General traffic now uses the motorways and new crossing; the old town centre is no longer the through-route for most vehicles.

What actually happened:

• The Queensferry Crossing project transferred most traffic off the old Forth Road Bridge, reducing noise and congestion around South Queensferry. Transport Scotland’s own environmental statement notes beneficial impacts to properties in South Queensferry as traffic moved to the new crossing. (transport.gov.scot)
• Far from “dying on the vine”, South Queensferry was recently rated “Scotland’s most beautiful town” by research highlighted in the national press, praised for its attractive historic streets, views, cafés and tourism offer. (The Scottish Sun)

In other words, when the big bridge and road network moved heavy traffic away from the town centre, the result was not economic collapse – it was a more pleasant, more attractive, more successful town.

Lesson for Strangford and Portaferry:
Diverting through-traffic from a ferry queue in the middle of the village doesn’t kill a town. It often creates better conditions for residents and visitors, while overall connectivity improves.

Tay Road Bridge: From Bottleneck Ferry to 26,000 Vehicles a Day

Then:
Dundee and Newport-on-Tay were once linked by the “Fifie” ferry, landing close to the town centres. The crossing often caused bottlenecks, with queues of cars and lorries waiting for space on the boat. (Wikipedia)

What changed:

• The Tay Road Bridge opened in 1966, slightly offset from the ferry location.
• According to the Institution of Civil Engineers, the bridge replaced a ferry service that caused bottlenecks and now carries around 26,000 vehicles a day, cutting journey times and boosting the local economy. (Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE))

Dundee has gone on to become a regional centre for jobs, education and culture; Newport-on-Tay has grown into a desirable commuter and residential town. The ferry’s removal and the shift to a fixed link has been a net positive for both sides of the water.

Lesson for Strangford and Portaferry:
Replacing a constrained ferry with a high-capacity bridge a little way off the original slip did not damage the settlements. It unlocked growth and made both sides more attractive places to live and work.

Cleddau Bridge: Ending a 28-Mile Detour and Keeping Towns Alive

Then:
Pembrokeshire was effectively split in two by the Milford Haven waterway. A ferry between Neyland and Pembroke Dock could carry up to 24 vehicles and 250 pedestrians per trip, but travellers faced either a ferry wait or a 28-mile road detour to get between the two sides. (pembrokeshire.gov.uk)

What changed:

• The Cleddau Bridge opened in 1975, positioned away from the town centres but linking the A477 across the water.
• The bridge has provided a permanent, reliable crossing, supporting local industry, commuting, and tourism in towns like Pembroke Dock, Neyland and Milford Haven. (Wikipedia)

There is no evidence that Neyland or Pembroke Dock “died” once the ferry and its in-town focus were replaced by a modern bridge. Instead, they became more integrated into a wider employment and tourism catchment.

Lesson for Strangford and Portaferry:
Ending a ferry reliance and removing an impractical detour is typically associated with stronger local economies, not weaker ones.

Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge & New Ross Bypass: Ireland’s Live Case Study

New Ross in Co. Wexford gives us a particularly relevant Irish example, because the logic is identical: “If traffic bypasses the town, the town will die” was the fear. The reality is very different.

The problem:
New Ross suffered from chronic congestion on the old N25, as long-distance Cork–Rosslare traffic was funnelled through its narrow streets. This was bad for through-traffic and bad for locals: noise, fumes, delays, and a perception that the town was merely a bottleneck on the way to somewhere else.

The solution:

• The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge, Ireland’s longest bridge, was built as part of the N25 New Ross Bypass, opening to traffic on 30 January 2020. (Wikipedia)
• Transport Infrastructure Ireland described the project as aimed at significantly easing chronic congestion and providing time savings of up to 30 minutes, while supporting the future growth and sustainability of New Ross town and the wider region. (tii.ie)

What has actually happened since:

• Long-distance traffic now crosses the Barrow on the bypass, not through the town centre.
• New Ross has not “ended overnight”; rather, it has had space to focus on public realm improvements, riverside amenities and local business, instead of being a permanent traffic jam.
• The bridge has been internationally recognised, receiving an Outstanding Structure Award from the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering, underlining its strategic and design value. (Wikipedia)

Lesson for Strangford and Portaferry:
A modern bypass bridge, even one that diverts a large volume of through-traffic, can reduce congestion and make the town more liveable, while still supporting – and often enhancing – local business and tourism.

So, What Does All This Mean for a Strangford–Portaferry Bridge?

Taken together, the UK and Irish evidence shows:

• No town or village has “ended overnight” because a new bridge was built slightly away from a ferry slip or village bridge.
• In every case, connectivity improved, queues reduced, and the wider economy benefitted.
• Historic centres often became more pleasant and attractive once they were no longer dominated by heavy through-traffic.

For Strangford and Portaferry, a well-designed fixed link would:

• Place both villages only a minute or two from the bridge landing, not miles away.
• Provide 24/7, all-weather access, rather than a limited-capacity ferry with potential for queues and cancellations.
• Make it easier for people to live in the villages and commute to jobs in Downpatrick, Belfast and beyond.
• Support tourism in both directions – Portaferry, Strangford, Castle Ward, the Lecale peninsula and the Ards peninsula becoming one connected visitor circuit instead of two cul-de-sacs.

If we are genuinely concerned about villages “dying on the vine”, the question we must ask is this:

Are rural communities more likely to survive and grow with limited, unreliable access governed by a small ferry…
or with a modern, reliable, high-capacity fixed link that makes living, working and visiting there easier?

Every UK and Irish example we have says the same thing:

• Ferries constrain. Bridges connect.
• Bottlenecks choke towns. Bypasses and bridges let them breathe.
• Villages do not die because access is improved – they die when access is not improved.

That is the evidence-based counter-narrative to the idea that a Strangford–Portaferry bridge, slightly offset from the current slipway, would somehow destroy the two villages. If anything, the lesson from Skye, South Queensferry, Dundee, Neyland, Pembroke Dock and New Ross is that refusing to improve connectivity is the real long-term risk.