For the second day running Red Funnel’s vehicle ferry service between East Cowes and Southampton is significantly delayed, causing traffic chaos in East Cowes.
Passengers are being warned of delays of 60 minutes on the service this morning (Tuesday) due to what is understood to be continued staffing issues.
Yesterday Island Echo reported that a lack of available crew was resulting in delays of 40 minutes, which came after 90-minute delays on the route on Friday due to engine troubles.
Red Funnel has said that the ferry service is delayed by up to an hour due to ‘ongoing delays’ – but hasn’t explicitly detailed why there are ongoing delays.
It was a bad day for cross-Solent travel yesterday as Wightlink also ended up running behind timetable due to a medical emergency.
Is this industrial action through the back door, go sick so it’s not a strike but still cause chaos.
Funny that they had no staffing issues on Thursday or Friday I guess once they have your money they don’t care how long it takes to get back
Going to get worse as fuel prices go up. Incentive for these companies to have ‘technical’ issues as well as cutting back on maintenance.
You know what does not need thousands of pounds worth of diesel going up in smoke each crossing? A rail link or a tunnel.
More and more people are saying it’s time for an alternative fixed link, time the council took a serious look at it, but it won’t, as long as seely has an input.
If your so fixed, Move…
You are missing the point. Islanders now need to access a lot of resources on mainland UK, hospital care, employment etc. Unemployed are expected to include mainland UK in their jobsearch. The continuing decline in adequate ferry provision is putting us at a huge disadvantage in terms of our ongoing well-being. Maybe you are in a privileged situation of being in very good health and with a good income. There are however, many people who would love to continue to live here, but are having to look at going, rather than live with the worry of how they will cope with possible health issues, and also the prospect of not being able to visit loved ones, and vice versa at times of emergency, as well as celebration. Nobody would need to debate a fixed link if the ferry service was maintained at a realistic level of service, but it is not, and it is causing a lot of anxiety for Islanders, I am at a loss to understand why it is not making headline news.
The “I’m alright Jack” attitude over here is still prevalent. The stock answer of “if you don’t like it, move” deliberately misses the points you make. Anyone who makes that fatuous comment is an apologist for the free companies.
It’s totally ridiculous , if you have a hospital appt ,what do you do ?????
do you stay overnight and suffer the cost ? Cancel appt through fear of not arriving on time ????
And surely Red funnel need to be held to account?!?!?….
With the amount of sickness, it must be time to train /employ more staff ….
We are almost being held to ransom / blackmail re their ridiculous pay increases they want !!!!!
So I still say by causing this disruption are they hoping they will get what they want ????
Ferry fares will rise !!!!
So who will strike next ?????
With a growing population on this island, it would be cheaper to campaign for more hospitals on the island…we don’t want this island to transform into another part of Portsmouth, its a lovely island and we want it to stay that way.
If those who want mainland life, then move and come back in your retirement…we have islands all over the world, it doesn’t mean we should link them up..
Am I a cynic? Before the festival, no staff available so loads of delays and cancellations. Festival on and suddenly loads of staff and extra ferries. Festival over and back to lack of staff and delays. What a disgraceful, lying company they are.
You’re not a cynic, I thought exactly the same but the mentality of the British Work Force is greater than those in charge – as what had the most affect – before or after the Festival? For Islanders it was the after effect, York Avenue was blocked for 2 days and nights, yesterday there were build ups when Ferry docked and probably there will be similar today. For the Mainland it must have been the before and after effect when you think of the continual blockage of traffic in and around the port at Southampton.
The only staffing problems are with the so called top management who to be honest couldn’t run a bath let alone a ferry company
The price that ferry companies charge, you’d think they could put on a decent service. Not good if you have to be on the mainland at a set time, but cannot get off the island.
Does no-one want to work these days, if not, then these companies need to recruit and train new staff and sack their useless present staff…
If I was the boss, I would make it clear, if you don’t show up for work your gone…
It’s not staff sickness it’s staff shortages due to staff leaving due to the terrible shift patterns imposed on them by Red Funnel and no support for them when things go wrong. The management sit in offices or at home in Scotland and let the workers take all the flak
There is not the labour force available. If only there was a way of bringing in workers from neighbouring countries…..oh.
I looked at the possibility of applying for a shoreside job as I live a few hundred yards from the ferry terminal. The company job application shows a requirement of one year’s mechanical experience just to direct traffic onto a ferry! Needless to say I didn’t bother applying.
we got off this island best thing we did no looking back and no going back
Hope you’ve moved to somewhere nice…Good luck…
Since Fran Colins took over as CEO, the service has got alot worse. I’ve been commuting for 15 years and it’s never been so bad. This is what I have to put up with for my £2000+ a year ticket.
All these problems have been since the new Chief Exec took over – coincidence ??
We need to get the tunnel underway, fast !! Ferry prices are ridiculous now and will only get wo0rse, they are unreliable and cannot travel when you want to unless you book month or more in advance !!
Fuel prices won’t affect a tunnel !! And anytime travel, no booking… day and night.. and Christmas day !!!
On-going delays are staff shortages as reported previously and not surprised with the current pay and hours. Tip of the iceberg is come towards UK in all areas with cost of living etc. Just glad they are managing to get people off and on the Island, but they do need to look at their whole structure and make cuts in the Management area because if they were doing their jobs they would have realised this would happen and yes unfortunately the Share Holders may need to have a reduction in their premiums if the service is to survive.