Drastic timetable changes on all cross-Solent travel routes are coming into force as Islanders and visitors alike are urged to undertake essential travel only.
Red Funnel’s Red Jet service is now down to just 4 early morning crossings and 5 evening crossings a day. The new timetable came into force on Saturday and will remain in place until further notice.
From Southampton, the morning Red Jet crossings will operate at 05:45, 06:45, 07:45 and 08:45 and in the evening at 16:45, 17:45, 18:45, 19:45 and 20:45. From West Cowes, in the morning the Red Jet will run at 06:15, 07:15, 08:15 and 09:15 and in the evening at 17:15, 18:15, 19:15, 20:15 and 21:15.
Foot passengers will continue to be able to travel on Red Funnel’s vehicle ferry service, which will continue to operate to its advertised schedule throughout the day.
Wightlink’s Fastcat service between Ryde and Portsmouth Harbour will be suspended completely from tonight (Monday 6th April) until normal services can be restored.
Meanwhile, a 2-hourly service is to be run on the Fishbourne-Portsmouth Gunwharf route, also operated by Wightlink. This will come into effect from 06:00 tomorrow (7th April).
The company’s Yarmouth-Lymington service has already been suspended until further notice in response to the dwindling passenger numbers.
Hovertravel are operating a revised timetable, running hourly from Ryde at 06:15 until 19:30 from Southsea. In the event that Hovertravel is unable to operate due to weather conditions or technical reasons, Southern Vectis will be arranging for its Route 9 service to go via Wightlink’s Fishbourne terminal to provide a foot passenger connection from both Newport and Ryde.
Too little too late. I guess most of the 2nd or 3rd homeowners are here now anyway.
But at least they now are realising that the situation is VERY serious.
I’m sure they do realise that the situation is VERY serious and I’m also sure that they DON’T CARE. A bit of naming and shaming would work wonders judging by what happened to Scotland’s scurrilous Chief Medical Officer.
This is more about profits, which is fair enough reason, rather than safety imo.
Whilst health is the most important, cash is needed to function unless we return to the stone age, so a balance is always necessary.
Profits??? your having a laugh they are having to accept a major hit to their revenue stream, even with ferries not sailing they’ll still have on going costs, from wages to insurance.
It’s dumb of the “visitors” and 2nd homeowners to think that they can come here and not bring the virus with them. Another sad thing is that these same people are free to hold a driving license and even vote.
There has been very few if any “visitors” or 2nd homeowners crossing the Solent, with a stay at home policy in place it makes it difficult to impossible to travel unless you have a good reason to do so.
Why don’t the powers that be limit the ferries to freight and essential journeys only. There should be people at the mainland terminals checking to see if journeys to the Island are really necessary and turning those away that aren’t. Is it me or have the number of cases on the Island increased since the good weather started and schools have closed i..e. more visitors?
I agtee Linda 100%
There are some of us who have to commute to work as we are key workers so a service has to be provided for some of us.
Airbnb is still advertising properties all across the island.
All hosting sites have the properties on but the people renting them most likely have a block on actually being able to book them
The Health of Islanders seems to come a poor second to profit. The Police / Army should have been at all mainland ports a week ago turning away all non Island residents. People will be losing their lives on the Island. All cases on the Island originated from mainland visitors. The Scottish government got their responsibilities to their islands right, and quickly.
When is our MP going to do something about stopping visitors coming to the Island and spreading the virus. It seems the number of infections has increased with holidaymakers and those visiting their second homes.