Ferries could allow Britons to take their energy saving commitments on holiday with them, with figures showing the low carbon footprint associated with the mode of transport.

Holidaymakers with a focus on energy saving in all parts of their life are told by Richard Hammond, founder and chief executive of eco-conscious travel portal Green Traveller, that public transport and a ferry crossing can be an environmentally sound way to reach the continent.

"If you take a bus or a train to a ferry port and take a ferry across to the continent and then carry on by bus or a train, then that's probably the greenest way you can get to continental Europe," he says.

He adds that ferries can be an enjoyable way to travel, with many having the feel of a modern hotel and on-board entertainment for young passengers and hungry holidaymakers of all ages.

In many cases, he notes that shuttle links can take travellers from train stations directly to nearby ferry ports, for an end-to-end transport solution.