A NEW fast ferry service between Dover and Boulogne is all set to be launched next month. But it won't be taking foot passengers.

SpeedFerries are due to start the new service on May 19, and Boulogne is already gearing up to celebrate the new link.

It is nearly four years since Boulogne was linked with a Channel port, when Stena Line pulled out of Folkestone. The link between Dover and Boulogne finished in 1992.

Bookings can only be made for the fast ferry Speed One on the Internet, and fares start at £50 for a car and up to five passengers. As the places fill up for each sailing, the price increases, up to a maximum of £280.

At a press conference in Boulogne, Curt Stavis, chief executive and chairman of SpeedFerries, said the pricing structure on existing ferry services was very complicated, and fares were among the highest in the world.

His company was following the example of budget airlines with its flexible web pricing. "We are giving customers a superior expeirnece even though it is cheaper," he said.

The Speed One catamaran is due to arrive in Dover for trials at the beginning of next month.