There is a viable way to take your car direct to Scandinavia – and it is easy to arrange, comfortable and not that expensive says a man who has used it.

Also, update on the A9 at Montpellier, France’s biggest motorway project. Germany’s €260 billion roads plan could result in a ‘nightmarish permanent building site’. ‘Hilarious’ strange driving rules from Italy and, particularly, Spain. 

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REVIEW: PASSENGER ON DFDS FREIGHT FERRY UK-NORWAY

Easy to arrange, comfortable and not that expensive.

Amid the long-running saga over reinstating a UK-Scandinavia ferry, a reader gets in touch to recommend DFDS freight ferry between Immingham and Norway.

We’ve heard lots about these services – principally that they are difficult to book because passenger places are limited, and that they are expensive and uncomfortable – but none of this is borne out by Kevin Horsburgh who used the service in January.

He tells us, ‘There’s no bar and little access around the vessel other than the TV room, cabin and canteen area, but the crew and food were nice.

The journey took around 28 hour which is a long trip but I used this service to return my English car back from Norway to the UK and it therefore saved me the drive.’

It didn’t even cost that much, just €313.72 for the car and one person one-way. That compares well with regular ferries fares of similar duration.

However, the passenger portion of the fare makes up the bulk of the total at €209 per person.

Latest check-in was three hours before the 04:00 sailing.

Meanwhile, bookings are not accepted more than 30 days in advance, no children under five are allowed, or pets, and lashing motorbikes is the owner’s responsibility.

DFDS runs similar freight services between Immingham, Gent, Brevik and Gothenburg. See more information for each route at DFDS.com.

Finally, operations director of British-Scandinavian Paul Woodbury said recently there would be more news on his firm’s attempts to reinstate a regular UK-Norway ferry service at the end of May.

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roundup: GERMANY. Motoring club ACE Auto Club Europa welcomes the recently announced €260 billion road, rail and waterways overhaul plan but worries the result will be a nationwide ‘nightmarish permanent building site’. It is also concerned there are not enough engineers to properly staff all the projects. ‘Site management must be put on whole new legs with appropriate communication in every step of the project,’ says ACE chairman Stefan Heimlich. He wants clear information for road users, minimum works only during busy holiday periods and for projects to be tailored to the staffing situation. The German transport ministry published its Federal Infrastructure Plan (German only) last month – listing projects up until 2030 – confirming details published in Handelsblatt‘s scoop in mid-February. Twitter follower Michael Woof adds, ‘Germany needs to properly manage its infrastructure plans, or risk another blunder similar to Berlin airport..’ Good point. ODD RULES. A man was fined €3000 for peeing in a bush beside the S42 Bolzano-Bergamo in northern Italy reports TheLocal.it. That might sound draconian but until earlier this year might have been punished with a prison sentence. Also, the man is likely to be able to successfully appeal. Meanwhile, displaying a For Sale sign in a car window in Spain can land a driver with a €200 fine says ABC.es – for obscuring the driver’s vision, and for selling on the street. Driving shirtless, barefoot or with inappropriate footwear – flip-flops, flimsy sandals of high heels – or applying make-up, or shaving, at traffic lights is subject to the same penalty. Hanging an arm out of the window, or not keeping both hands on the wheel – while picking your nose or biting your nails – costs €100. Playing music while refuelling comes in at €91. Arguing or kissing is €80 but full sex will set you back €150.

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