 By the late 18th century the main mail coach route between Bristol and Milford Haven used the New Passage and by the end of the century the crossing rivalled the Old Passage route.In 1825 the New Passage Association formed, using the 30-ton steamboat "St Pierre".However, the sponsorship by the Dukes of Beaufort of the Aust route, with faster boats and a pier, meant that by 1830 mail coaches were diverted there, and the New Passage declined.