Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely has written to the 3 ferry companies to request that they now begin communicating with each other to put resilience plans in place.
In his letter Mr Seely said he had spoken with Transport Minister, Kelly Tolhurst MP. He said:
“It is my understanding that during the conversation yesterday, all cross-Solent ferry providers were cleared by government to talk to each other for the purposes of resilience planning during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
Article continues below this advertisement “As such, may I request that you now begin communicating with each other – and by all means with the Transport Infrastructure Board – to begin putting plans in place”.
Mr Seely said the primary purpose of any resilience planning was to ensure that should staff sickness rise as a result of COVID-19, vital life-line crossings will continue.
He said:
“This is about ensuring resilience and safety in the system.
“The ferries need to keep going to ensure essential travel can continue. We need to make sure Island patients can access the urgent medical treatment they need on the mainland, we need to allow our key workers to cross the Solent and we must ensure the continuous delivery of food stocks both to and from the Island.
Article continues below this advertisement “I hope that these plans won’t be used but we need to be ready to protect Islanders in case there are outbreaks of this illness between ferry staff.”
It’s understood that a Statutory Instrument (SI) – delegated legislation – is being written by government and will be retroactive when implemented, granting full legal permission for talks between ferry providers while preserving legal niceties where required with respect to current competition law.
I agree with the ferry companies continuing services to provide essential supplies and essential mainland links for patients and workers but I do not agree withe ferry companies allowing holiday makers to come and go as they please, i. e. to holiday homes, apartments and cottages. The government has ordered everyone to remain at home while this virus is a danger and to only make essential journeys, so can you please tell me how a holiday is essential. These people are risking the lives of Islanders. Please Mr Seeley, sort this out now.
I quite agree with you. It is irresponsible madness to allow people who do not live here permanently to come and go and I suggest the same applies to non essential workers making the journey. We can easily do this and protect everyone on the island so what are we waiting for Mr Seeley and others, lots of islanders catching the virus and worse? Thank you.
Ferries should be for essential travel only & possibly car deck isolation ASLONG as your living on the island and not coming for a holiday or escaping from mainland even if you own a summer house here they shouldn’t be aloud here until the virus has stopped.
As soon as schools break up and second home owners aeeive on island infected numbers goes from 2 to 5, coincidence???
The ferry companies must put life before profit! The whole country is suffering financially. Let/make them join the queue. We deffo don’t need any unessential travellers/visitors….
Bob does not mention anything in his statement regarding ‘stopping mainland visitors’ travelling over here. Of course we need essential supplies, we don’t need visitors.
Mr seely what about self employed why don’t MP’s all help in hospital because it seems to me you do fcuk all to earn YOUR WAGES WHICH I PAY FOR
R Horton love your words so so true and they just got pay rise where must of islanders are struggling do we really need all these mps what do they do for the working class NOTHING