Isle of Wight ferry operators Red Funnel, Wightlink and Hovertravel have jointly issued instructions to Islanders returning from Spain, following the government’s requirement to isolate for 14 days.
Returning quarantining persons must travel by car and notify the relevant cross-Solent operator 48 hours ahead of travel that they need to stay in car due to quarantining. The operator will then make arrangements for them to remain in their vehicle but may have to adjust their sailing time to make this possible depending on other traffic being carried on the car deck.
Quarantining persons who travelled out as foot passengers are asked not to use any of the 3 cross-Solent operators by foot in line with government guidance on them avoiding public transport. They will need to make arrangements to travel by car with family or friends or taxi in a COVID-safe way.
Councillor Dave Stewart, leader of the Isle of Wight Council said:
“Here on the Island everyone has worked hard to keep the number of COVID-19 cases as low as possible.
“Coronavirus regulations mean that you must self-isolate for 14 days if you arrive in the UK from a country outside the common travel area and this now includes Spain.
“You may be carrying the virus without showing any symptoms. I would ask you to please respect the safety of our Island community and to self-isolate for 14 days from your arrival.”
Given the current situation, why would anyone want to go abroad anyway. Crazy. People think it will be as it was before the pandemic started, wrong! Stay in the UK, it’s safer.
Agree with you about going abroad in times like this. But the government are to blame by stating it was safe to go to mainland Spain,Canaries & the Balearic Islands. Now whilst their are there enjoying a well deserved break the same government then informed them it wasn’t safe. Must self isolate on return . How bloody irresponsible of our inept government. Massive disruption, possible loss of holiday if they return early and possible loss of income. I genuinely feel sorry for them . Stay here as you posted it’s safer.
Worked hard to keep numbers as low as possible, is that REPORTED numbers? There are 3 new cases at the hospital last week, all are suspected mainlanders, WHY IS THIS NOT BEING RELEASED OFFICIALLY. Oh yes, the tourism, sod the local infection rates, let’s get the money in first. Shameful.
Please let us know how you have this possibly important information. Islanders should be informed as a matter of urgency.
Immagine….. your on ya hols (as a foot passenger). First you have the bad news that you have to quarantine for 14 days with the loss of earnings and drama from that.
You get back home to find you are unable to travel back by train. (nightmare!) You manage to get a taxi that will accept you at a massive cost. You get back to the ferry port only to be told you can’t get on (double nightmare!!) Then your told you have to give 48 hours notice WTF!!!! How is that part workable and how are you supposed to know this from Spain 48 hours before you get there!!
Then you have to sleep rough and arrange for someone to come across to collect you at the expense of a short notice return ticket!!!! (Triple double mega nightmare with ££££’s on top!!!!!!)
I do have to feel for these poor souls. Yeah some may say self inflicted but my god, they don’t deserve that kind of treatment.
I agree with you Tim – not too much leeway for individual victims caught up in th emiddle of these politically led decisions. Still RF and WL have certainly seen an awesome opportunity make some money off the back of it. Rather than section off part of a deck for quarrantine why not make them organise more traffic putting more people at risk???
Don’t tell anyone .
Hmm.. Live in a bus shelter for two weeks or lie?
Given the lack of alternative options I suspect the latter option will taken by a very large number of people.
Not safe or sensible but, unfortunately, inevitable.
Far better to find ways to spot potential difficulties and put in place measures to aid compliance rather than block it.
Yes be sly and selfish and pass on the virus grrrrr!
More chance of those from the North Island bringing it here than those people from Spain, many UK cities remain a much higher risk. Those people are not policed or have any tracking information.
How are families returning from Canaries or Spain supposed to get back to the Island ,if they can’t use public trains or ferries . It would cost hundreds of pounds For taxi to Portsmouth, then hiring a car to take them on the ferry and onwards to their home What about all those people from the north of England where the infection rate is high . They are packing the ferries and fast cats , no restrictions there. The chance of bringing the virus back from Tenerife is non existent . You are safer there than on our Island
Yeah I agree, there’s nothing to stop people from up north coming here with no restrictions, look at Blackburn at the moment.
Like I said earlier .Don’t tell anyone .why create problems for yourself .
What’s the difference between lslanders coming back from Spain and holiday makers coming over, they’re all coming from places with higher infections than us.
What a load of bol****s who is going to know where you have come from and who is going to enforce it. Seems to me Fran Collins should wake up and think before she makes decisions and the rules state you must self isolate at home so try and stop people and see yourself having your arse sued by lots of people
People returning from spain should have to be quarantined near to where they entered the country and not be allowed to travel across the country possibly spreading the virus as they go.
Who do you report people too that you know have come back and not said anything?
Bed wetters out in force today
Close the borders, man the century posts, reinstate puckpool battery and then, only then can you be sure that it will not get you!
2nd wave approaching and it’s gonna do as much damage as wave one.