As part of his continuing campaign for better ferry services, Bob Seely has produced evidence that shows that, over the last 26 years, Red Funnel services have become less frequent, slower and more expensive. Mr Seely, who is standing for election as the MP for the new Isle of Wight West constituency, has submitted his evidence to Red Funnel and has asked its CEO to explain what the company is doing to improve services. The letter comes after a weekend of chaos on Red Funnel services. Through his written evidence, he highlighted the company’s reductions in speed and service. He said figures showed that since 1998, Red Funnel had:
- Reduced its passenger fleet to 2 vessels.
- Reduced its Red Jet sailings by around 30% on weekdays and from 38% to 50% on Sundays.
- Retained the same vehicle ferry fleet – with the addition of a new freight vessel costing £10m, just over one year’s operating profit.
- Increased the time it takes for Red Jet services to cross the Solent from 22 minutes to around 28 minutes.
- Added 5 minutes to vehicle ferry crossing times.
On the disruption of services, Mr Seely’s findings showed that between 26th August 2022 and 7th May 2024:
- Red Jet services were affected by preventable issues on one in 6 days (98 of 620 days).
- Vehicle ferry services were affected by faults, maintenance and staff shortages on 1 in 8 days (78 of 620 days).
- Combined, Red Funnel either cancelled or delayed services due to preventable issues on 1 in 4 days (150 of 620 days).
On ticket pricing, Mr Seely’s research found:
- The biggest price increases were in period returns. In 1998 the most expensive period return was £121.91 in 2024 prices, compared to the average July ‘saver’ period return today costing £199.25 (plus an extra £23.95 if travelling between 09:00-17:00). The average ‘flexi’ July fare sits at £296.97.
- Average fares had increased by 10% in real terms in July and by 4%in real terms in November.
Mr Seely said Red Funnel had undergone 4 leveraged buyouts since 1989. In the year ending 2022, it had operating profits of £7,009,000 and fixed tangible assets of £44,034,000. He said in the year ending 2020, Red Funnel’s parent company, Red Funnel Holdings Limited, recorded £130,955,000 of secured bank loans and £288,319,000 of loans and borrowings in total (41 times its operating profits in 2022). Mr Seely said:
“I continue to gather evidence to prove that both Wightlink and Red Funnel are letting us down. I have already evidenced Wightlink’s failings, and now I am looking more closely at Red Funnel. “I can prove that today, Red Funnel services are fewer, slower and more expensive – ludicrously so. “Whilst Red Funnel has used its market power to raise debts and pay out exorbitant profits to shareholders and lenders, none of this has translated into expansion or improvement of services. “Without intervention, the problems are likely to get worse which is why I’m building a fact-based case for regulation and I’m encouraging new ferry services to enter the market. “I want an end to the ferry firms charging unprecedented fares for poor quality services.”
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Can’t wait for Bob to be reelected, so he can continue this campaign.
Something needs to be done, to get these robbing ferries shut down.
Why didn’t he start the campaign years ago?
The only question I have is… Will Red Funnel respond in any way before the election and BBQ Bobs either forced retirement, or he falls asleep once again only to re-hash this in another 4 years time? With respect, we have been shouting about this stranglehold by both Ferry Companies for years, and not one sound from our MP but, when his position is a bit shaky he pops up and behaves like he cares for once. I feel confident that whichever way his Election goes, we shall hear nothing more from Mr Seely come July 5th.
Typical psyop, doing whatever to garner votes, then once reelected, back to normal.
Too late PopUp Bob, you had your chances to do something.. you choose to do nothing .. now your replacement will make a difference..
your time is over .
Who’d have thought it… after 26 years the ferry prices have gone up .
Is this the same Bob Seely who used to be the MP for the island? If so, why is he wasting his time telling us all this crap again because he is no longer an MP. Indeed, he has been spinning this line for months and still done nothing.
What about a deep dive into seely and his failings as an “MP” ?
Alternative headline could be “member of public writes to a company”.
According to one of your commenters last week Seldom Seen’s brother (or brother in law?)the CEO of Red Funnel, but that seems false, else why wouldn’t he just ask him?
Well bob you making an effort please carry on and look as close as you can both red funnel and wightlink are taking travelling customer for a robbing ride .
we used to use the ferry’s for long weekends away day trips etc etc we now can’t afford their prices and only use when we have to ,family issues for example.
Roll on more competition
Here’s bad penny Bob, popping up again. I think he might have shares in sh!telink, considering the pressure he is putting on their opposition. Again, baring his teeth when it is too late to actually make a difference. Go Bob!
You now have a choice, vote Seely back in and hold him to account for the promises he has stated and what he will do regarding the ferries OR vote him out and let him off the hook and vote a new MP in and wait for another four years for the new MP to to say what he will do if elected again, they are all tared with the same brush!
Well Mr Seely It’s a pity you did not you stay loyal to your leader Boris, the goose that was laying the golden eggs, instead you betrayed him and were quite happy to back Sunak because your overlords told you too, now you will languish on the opposition benches for an eternity the voters will not forget what you did for a generation
Bob I want cheaper Ferry Fares and a more frequent service.
I am fed up reading about staff shortages.
Why is the Island Ferries the most expensive in the world for
such a short Ferry crossing.
Isn’t this the case with most things poorer service yet paying more doctors dentist police fire service hospitals
Oh teapot! Youv had literally YEARS too sort this…not only now spout your hot air in election loom! Your out hopefully then get someone who really cares for us islanders
They would’nt give a crap ..just laughing at us all watch the massive hikes for festival weekend..dirty lot.
Where and who could a new ferry operate from???..nowhere.
Good work. Buy why has it taken Mr Seely 7 years to do this?
Well I have never seen Seely do so much work and show the enthusiasm as he’s done over the past 3 months. Pity he couldn’t have shown the same enthusiasm in the previous 4 years for me island. Also shame that he’s still in my constituency, so no vote for him.
Why is this referred to as a “deep dive”? There is nothing in these bullet points that has not been readily available and in the public domain for ages. All Seely has done is pull it together on one piece of paper. All of this info will be inthe copany’s annual reports. But is takes no one anywhwere. Politics is about doing, Bob and all you have done for the last four years is sit on your hands.
He finally finished his PhD as well. Glad he made such good use of his time at our expense.
Also take no notice of the spill they give you when booking about changing a crossing you have booked to another one costing a £5 fee ( which is fare enough).
I was on holiday flight delayed so could not get the 23.55 back to the Island, lucky our daughter lives in Southampton and we stayed with her. We phoned from Cyprus to ask for a 09.00 ferry next morning as unable to get the one we were booked on, no problem they said and charged me £40. Saying it was peak time in actual fact the difference in the price was £5. Obviously complained with no satisfactory information just a load of spill Letter did go to Bob Seeley who also got no where. 09.00 last week cheaper than 14.00 hours peak time don’t think so.