BRITTANY Ferries has announced that the Barfleur will not be returning this summer, leaving Poole again without a year-round passenger ferry service.

The future of the popular cross Channel passenger service between Poole and Cherbourg has been hanging in the balance after returning temporarily last summer.

Mike Bevens, group passenger commercial director for the company, said: “This follows a thorough analysis of the potential revenue gain versus the additional costs of bringing Barfleur back and we have left the decision as late as possible to gauge any improvement in the economic situation and fuel price.

“The fact is the UK and European economic situation in 2012 is not at all positive and against this difficult economic backdrop we feel that to add more capacity would be foolhardy.”