Brittany Ferries has announced major changes to its schedules affecting around 50,000 passengers.

The company apologised for the impact the move will have and cited poor demand following quarantine restrictions on French travel.

Up to 35,000 passengers either cancelled or delayed their travel plans with the company last weekend, and demand for this autumn is “extremely weak”, it said.

Brittany Ferries said it has been forced to change its schedules, starting at the end of this month.

Christophe Mathieu, director general of Brittany Ferries, said: “We warned over the weekend that schedule changes were likely, as quarantine measures have led to a significant drop in demand for our services.

“This is not something we want to do. However, in the context of a terrible summer season we have no choice but to consolidate sailings that, by virtue of lack of passenger numbers, are uneconomic to run.

“These extraordinary decisions are regrettable and we apologise in advance to all those whose travel plans will be disrupted.”

The changes announced are:

– The Armorique ferry will be laid up from August 31. She currently serves the Plymouth to Roscoff route.

– Pont-Aven will replace Armorique on the Plymouth to Roscoff route from September 10 with three return trips per week.

– Pont-Aven will also continue to operate one return sailing from Plymouth to Santander and from Roscoff to Cork during the week.

– Bretagne will be laid up from September 7. She currently serves the Portsmouth to St Malo route.

– Etretat will not resume crossings, as planned. Connemara will continue to operate the Cherbourg and Le Havre rotations from Portsmouth, but will no longer serve Spain.