Wightlink has revealed that it intends to keep running a revised, hourly timetable on its Fastcat service until at least Christmas – but will add in extra sailings if the demand picks up.
The news that the temporary timetable will continue until 18th December means that for the rest of 2022 the last sailing from Portsmouth to Ryde will be at 20:20, apart from on 29th August when the last sailing will be at 21:20.
An hourly service will continue 7 days a week apart from during selected times including at weekends during the Summer holidays, at Easter and during the Isle of Wight Festival in June.
One Island Echo has expressed their frustration at the situation:
“If you arrive at Portsmouth and miss the last FastCat boat at 20:20, you will have to wait and catch the 22:00 slow boat from Gunwharf arriving at a different port [Fishbourne]. You then have to get to your car at Ryde via taxi, finally arriving at your car at 23:00.
“For a £2,000 season ticket holder it takes you nearly 3 hours to get back to the Island after 20:20”.
Despite all COVID restrictions having been lifted and life returning to normal, the cross-Solent operator says that demand for FastCat services is very far from back to normal.
Keith Greenfield, Chief Executive of Wightlink, has told Island Echo:
“As national train operators are reporting, commuter numbers are still around 50% of pre-Covid levels when we last had a half-hourly commuter FastCat service at peak times.
“There is a two boat half-hourly service in our timetable at weekends in the summer school holidays and at Easter and during the Festival. We may add further sailings on peak days if the demand is there.
“If demand for travel between Portsmouth and Ryde picks up, Wightlink will be only too happy to expand the FastCat timetable”.
Mark my words, 2 hourly service post morning and pre afternoon commuter catamarans is on the horizon.
Has anyone thought that maybe, just maybe, the cost of a ticket is putting people off. Can you afford to just go to Pompey for a day out, something to do? What is the difference in operating an empty vessel, compared with a full one?
Yes, I would like to go to Pompey for a day out, but I can only afford it if I have a specific reason to go. How often have you been turned away at the gate because there are no seats left?
Come on Wighlink, encourage people to travel on your boats. Make the fares attractive and affordable and, who knows, more will be able to travel with you.
They do not give a toss about us !! Vote for a tunnel, 24 hour crossings, 7 days a week… No cancellations, no huge costs..
Seems a strange commercial attitude, like they think ‘demand’ is out of their control or something.
Very glass half empty response.
And they will be losing demand since the late office workers will stop because 8:20pm is ridiculous.
Hasn’t put red jet off putting extra sailings on .pity they don’t serve Portsmouth
What a joke they’ve just been given additional funding albeit to aid disability but still keeping to a cut back service build a bridge or tunnel
Not a bridge… that be silly, due to winds and rain.. a TUNNEL must be built..
NATIONALIZE THE FERRIES!!!! So you fork out all this money for a below standard ferry service? Something needs to be done!!!
Sod ferries, let’s get a TUNNEL… ASAP… !! Paid enough now to have owned a bloody ferry !!
And yet red funnel announces 40 more extra crossings every 35 mins well done red funnel
Of course this has nothing to do with the rise in the cost of fuel
The only positive side to this is that every time the government make their token effort at responding to our complaints about the ferry service all they do is count the number of sailings and tell us what a great service it is.
Now at least they’ll have fewer to count.
Well, at least they are trying to be honest for once, and not blaming the one missing crew member.
What has happened to all of the woke brigade, moaning about half empty ferries and global footprints etc. This should be a good thing right ? Unless it spoils your night out at Pompey.
Unknown why they cannot run later in both directions.. coming back from an evening out in Portsmouth at 20:20 is a bit daft !!! And then only if one is lucky a ferry will be running .. Load of crap really !! Cannot go see live venues for an evening in Portsmouth.. so damn sad Wightlink.
We NEED A TUNNEL..,..
% agree
not enough people buying tickets to travel after 2020 – meaning it runs at a loss – you can have later services, but must pay higher prices throughout the day, to subsidise the loss making evening boats.
Never thought I was going to be marooned on the Isle if wight
Happy to support a tunnel. With a ‘following wind’, and funding in place, I reckon it could be completed and in operation by the start of the next century. Whooppee !!
“ operation by the start of the next century” Sad but true Why I would rather the goverment step in and force the pirates of the solent to deliver a service for islanders. Would like a fixed link but don’t trust any government to make it work.
Absolute nightmare. If you live in Ryde and need to get to Southampton, have to sit in Portsmouth for 30 mins for the next train. These pirates of the Solent need to be replaced with someone who will deliver a service for the islanders.
Someone hurry up with building a tunnel off of Shutter Island……
Don’t live on an island,
Move away.