Local MPs, business leaders and community figures condemned the soaring costs, unreliability and lack of accountability of the Isle of Wight’s ferry services during the Island Echo/IW Observer State of the Island Debate.
The ferry companies faced a barrage of united, cross-party criticism during Friday’s event, with calls now mounting for a public service obligation to finally bring change.
The question posed to the panel was: “Should the ferry companies be subject to a public service obligation, and if so, why?”.
Richard Quigley MP (Labour, Isle of Wight West) claimed that he and his fellow Isle of Wight East MP spent most of their time on this issue. He added that this was the first time the question had been brought up with the Department of Transport and that he was ‘starting from scratch’.
He revealed that he had illustrated the difficulties for Islanders by placing a map of the Isle of Wight over a map of Swindon – the constituency of Transport Minister Heidi Alexander – for her benefit and explaining that every time you wanted to go outside that map you had to pay up to £300.
Richard said:
“What we need is reliable, frequent, low-cost ferries. If that means a public service obligation, then I’m 100% behind it. If it’s a change in the finance structure, then I’m 100% behind it, if it’s regulation, I’m 100% behind it.
“I can guarantee you neither of us will sleep until this problem is sorted.”
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Joe Robertson (Conservative, Isle of Wight East) claimed he had surprised his Chief Whip by exclaiming ‘hear, hear’ to Richard Quigley’s points on the ferries from the opposition benches in the House of Commons.
He said it was in everyone’s interest that both MPs pulled together on the subject of what he saw as the Isle of Wight’s biggest issue.
Joe added:
“What we don’t want is high prices, dynamic spike pricing on car ferries, reduction in timetables, unreliable ferries, ferry companies that don’t invest in their ferry fleets, and paying large amounts of money to private equity companies.
“What’s not normal is how cross-Solent transport is provided. I’ve got nothing against Canadian pensioners, but Isle of Wight ferry users should not be paying their pensions.”
Laura Baxter (Head of Marketing, Blackgang Chine) revealed that while it was possible to come to a Parkdean Resort for just £70, when she wanted to get off the Island to say her goodbyes to her nan, it had cost her £150 for the privilege.
She claimed that dynamic pricing in the summer was ‘absolutely’ crazy and that tourists were only aware of the headline prices and weren’t necessarily aware that they could get discounted prices by shopping around.
Joe Smyth (Chief Officer, Isle of Wight NHS Trust) claimed that ferry prices had a big impact on the hospitals and health care on the Island.
He explained:
“I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve sat in an interview for consultants who pull out when they realise the cost of getting here.
“If we had a service that was affordable, it would allow us to bring in the inward investment that we want and fix the age demographic problem that we have because it would create jobs for our young people. If we don’t do that, the situation on the Island is only going to deteriorate until the point when the Government is forced to step in.
“If we don’t sort out the ferry problem, I can’t see a bright future for us.”
Sir Paul Kenny (former General Secretary, GMB) told the audience of a situation in which a woman had been quoted £512 to come across with a car and a passenger, asking ‘who, in their right mind, would come?’.
He added that ‘dynamic pricing’ meant ferry operators charging whatever they can, depending on how easy it was to ‘mug’ a customer.
Paul said:
“The accountability of these ferry companies is zero. You can write as many complaints as you like. Reliability – you get more out of a chocolate fireguard.
“We’re not going to sit quiet. We’re not going to give up. We’re not going to go away. We owe it to the Island to make them accountable.
“I’d like to go further. I’d like to see the ferries back under democratic control.”
Phil Jordan (leader, Isle of Wight Council) gave ‘enormous credit’ to both MPs for their work on the ferries issue.
Phil continued:
“Dynamic pricing has to change. The service levels have to go up, and the prices have to come down. We have to have better services at better prices for Islanders.”
“But this is not a sprint. This is a marathon to move these ferry companies.”
Steven Holbrook (CEO, IW Chamber) rounded off the discussion by stating that so long as the business model stays as it is nothing would change. He didn’t think there would be a change unless there was a change in Government policy. However, he was encouraged that conversations were happening for the first time.
Annual season is £2200 on fastcat. About £44 a week, or around £4.50 per journey,based on 5 day a week travel
It is about the same, per journey price on the bus from ryde to St Mary’s
It ain’t gonna be cheaper..stop lying about it being to expensive ro commute
Wightlink have just put up their multilink prices again – it’s now £75 return if you buy a set of 20 tickets for £750 – was £680 last year, so over 10% increase – and red funnel don’t even have fixed price at all. It’s completely unsustainable, you want to visit the mainland once a month it’s extortion. Regarding your example above…. that’s without a car! What use is that?
You can get multi tickets from red funnel like wightlink.
They literally don’t have such a thing. Only a ‘discount card’ which doesn’t help with their insane prices. Maybe you’re thinking of foot passengers again? I’m talking about car ferries
Exactly right. Foot ferries are of no use to anyone travelling outside of Portsmouth or Southampton and the number of tourists coming without a car is insignificant. Train travel is just as extortionate as the ferries and nobody wants to lug their luggage by train, even if there were anywhere on board to put it.
so, if a consultant on thousands a week, lives in petersfield, 22 miles outside portmsouth and travels by train every day into Portsmouth, the annual season price is also £2200. Then there is the bus to QA hospital from the train station
what is your problem about the price of the fastcat annual season that apparently makes it so expensive, when it is also £2200 for an annual seaon ticket. Then there is the bus to st marys from the esplanade
Two buses each way, minimum of 2k for the train, 2k for the ferry, 2k for the buses PLUS at least a 14 hour day including travelling time WHEN the ferries run and WHEN they and the trains run on time. Hell no, not for all the money you could pay me. That’s not living, that’s just working and sleeping.
That’s exactly what my hubby does, including wasting time during certain periods when there is only two ferries running equals 16 hour days, if he makes it home at all, little notification if any cancelled ferries … oh and getting up at 03.30am for ferry … we moving back to the mainland, had enough, just work sleep. I feel sad for the island, it limits the progress and possibilities and islanders suffer, and it seems those who should recognise this do not care.
I know several people who commute on the fastcat at 0645, then get the fast london train, arrive waterloo by 0900, then underground, followed by walk to the office by 0930. Finish at 1630 and are back on the 1920 fastcat, five days a week. Why – because it is cheaper to buy a house on the island, pay the ferry and train fares, than it is to live in london. Why they do it – sod that
Not many jobs would allow a seven hour working day (thats not allowing for compulsory breaks.)
Hear, hear
Become a civil servant.
Go in the Office 1 day a week and get paid
shed loads of money and full London Weighting.
Majority of them are loving it!.
I wish I was working again, can’t be bad.
The Government need to reduce their clutter
instead of keep picking on the elderly and
disabled persons.
The ferry companies (specifically wightlink, but I see no reason why RF would be any different) , have stated that there will be no reduction in fares or improvement in service unless the government steps in and gives them money.
The government, (both the current Labour crowd, and the previous CONservatives) have emphatically said that they will not intervene either by nationalisation, or regulation. (and with their stated support for private enterprise, including privatising the NHS, Deform would absolutely be no different)
Both RF and WL are private companies who’s sole responsibilities lie in making as much profit as possible for their shareholders, from the people who want or need to travel to the Isle of Wight, and who have no legal obligation to provide any service at all… and only do so as a means to make profit for their shareholders,…
So, what does this “State of the Island Debate” actually think is going to change…
“It’s too expensive…”, “it’s too unreliable…”, “we’re being held to ransom…” all of these are probably true,.. but none of them will result in any change to the status quo,.. so what’s the point ??
The Ferry prices and services will never improve.
Best thing to do is extend Ryde Pier to the mainland
and put an opening in the centre for boats to go
through.
Cheaper for everyone and 100% reliable.
Also trains can run direct from the Islands.
It’s a win win situation for everyone, also not very
expensive to do.
Not very expensive? Really?
You clearly have very little knowledge of just how big a project of this scope is! Building a fixed link over water from an island whose main purpose is tourism hence a huge daily traffic flow whether by train or car/van/lorry/coach in often inclement weather conditions and with climate change presenting freak weather events all over the world!
It’s a huge undertaking and where is the money going to come from? Our council is skint and can’t even maintain our roads and footpaths let alone a modern bridge over water!
We all know you like to comment on every single topic on here every day but how about thinking before typing for a change? This link would significantly alter the island forever and not always for the benefit of its inhabitants.
I think we are all pretty fed up with the awful levels of service and extortionate pricing policy particularly at peak times like Festival week. Red Funnel are never shy of cancelling a ferry or two citing dubious mechanical issues which we all suspect is a sneaky cost saving exercise for a not quite full enough ferry!
Comparing our ferry prices to buses and trains is futile as those travellers have a choice while we are stuck with a choice of two, both of which are practically insolvent and run solely for the benefit of shareholders and not at all focussed on islanders. I hope for change but I suspect it won’t happen anytime soon and there will never be enough money for a fixed land link or a suitable location to put it!
I wish our councillors and MPs the very best of luck but the island ferry routes should have been made subject to a license years ago, one that could be revoked if minimum standards of service are not met.