Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely has complained about Wightlink and Red Funnel services to the Secretary of State for Transport, Mark Harper MP. In a letter to Mr Harper, the Island’s MP set out why he believes access to the Isle of Wight is being damaged by the current practices and corporate structures of both firms. MP Seely highlights several areas where the firms were failing; a lack of competition, slower services, fewer services, price inflation, more disruption through delays and cancellations, as well as increased debts. Within the letter, MP Seely has said:
“The ferry firms are damaging the Island,” “In recent years there has been a notable decline in the frequency of services as well as the speed of service. At the same time, both firms have invested little in their services, compared to the staggering level of debt that both have taken on. “In the last year, the combination of fewer services, disrupted services and increased cost has reached a critical point. That’s why I decided to produce my study on the ferry firms last month. “We need change. We need a better deal from the ferry firms.”
Seely said that whilst Wightlink has raised loans of £175 million, it had invested little in passenger services. Seely told the Secretary of State:
“Operating profits could have been used to invest in new infrastructure, service resilience and better quality services; but have instead largely been used to pay lenders and shareholders who have made little capital investment in the business.”
Mr Seely also reminded the Secretary of State of the government’s commitment to an accessible and well-connected transport system across the country and asked on what grounds the government would support an inquiry to investigate the issues further.
He’s written another letter. He must have some kind of cramp by now. That’ll certainly make them change their minds. Thanks Blob.
Seely:
“Operating profits could have been used to invest in new infrastructure, service resilience and better quality services; but have instead largely been used to pay lenders and shareholders who have made little capital investment in the business.”
Yes, Bob.
That’s how private enterprises work. They operate for the benefit of their shareholders, not their customers.
I would have thought, as a Tory, you would appreciate and support this.
If you think otherwise, maybe you should make like two of your colleagues and defect to Labour.
But you don’t, do you, you are just banging a hollow drum because there’s an election coming and you are probably going to be out of a job.
Islander .. well said .. now let’s hope the Seely fan club wake up and stop putting their trust/faith in this fool, pretender.. his letters mean and do absolutely nothing ..time for Popup to go .. now
We were told about this letter last week. He is obviously just trying to keep his PR up. I can’t wait for the next exciting news when he puts the letter in an envelope and posts it. Sorry Bob but the party is over.
You have had YEARS to do this seely,now you are coming out of hiding because an election is looming,to say i despise you and what you represent is an understatement
Next Press Release: Seely puts letter in envelope
Next Press Release: Seely sticks stamp on envelope
Next Press Release: Seely puts letter in postbox
Then … Silence! Mr Harper throws letter in bin.
Excellent. So funny and an accurate prediction of what will happen to the letter.
A staggering coincidence that there hasn’t been any cause for Seely to snap into action until just before a general election. I’m guessing there just haven’t been any significant worries about Wightlink till now.
Yes amazing coincidence ! Pop up likes his comfy job, but is crap at it ..
Oh look, an election looming!!
Far too little, too late mate!
We need change….. Ok then, what about a study into a fixed like.
Good words Bob, but too little too late. They will literally jump ship and declare bankruptcy by end of the year alongside red funnel.
So it’s going to be a working party to discuss the possibility of setting up a committee to discuss the feasibility of an inquiry.
Of course, if it wasn’t an election year they’d just skip straight to the whitewash and produce the report telling us how the service is great and there is no need to investigate anything because the companies are doing a great job.
Sould have done this years ago…. not just before a general election is looming…Now I woder why… vote catching??? Not from me that’s for sure
More likely timed to ensure that the election comes before anything can actually be done.
That way, it can all be quietly swept under the carpet for another 5 years until the next MP is worried about their job and realises that they need to appear to actually be doing something.
This man likes a good deal. I’m not fooled though. *cough* Election Year *cough*
Too little too late half a sausage Bob
1/2 sausage Seely should be asking about the Covid grants to maintain a service, and the profit figures for 2020/2021.
Too little , Too late ….. Seems to be top of the Tory manifesto
Ha. I sent him a message recently about the assisted dying discussion in Parliament. My gripe was that Tory austerity programs eviscerated community nursing (including palliative care), and that ferry trips to the mainland plus further transport to specialised treatment in Portsmouth or Southampton is becoming more and more difficult, Seely should not be surprised that assisted dying might be more popular.
Yes I know the NHS claims that medically vulnerable people have acesss to discounts but connections that may or may not happen depending on ferry cancellations. I do know that when I was scheduled for treatment in the morning, I had to spend an extra night in hospital or rent a B&B and go over to the mailand the night before.
Bob us island residents want cheaper Ferry Fares.
Does his letter to the Secretary of State about the ferry firms were failing due a lack of competition, slower services, fewer services, price inflation, more disruption through delays and cancellations, as well as increased debts, include the floating bridge too? 😮
Oh-oh! Pop Up Bob is at it again. Sending out stiff letters. I wish he’d reply to my emails on areas of local concern.
Not my MP. Not an ally of the island.
Pop off Bob.
Is Seely has correctly identified the problems (problems which are echoed across the strectrum of privatised operations that were previously state run, he could as well be be describing the water industry) why would anyone want an Inquiry? All that will do is kick the can up the street for another five years. Or is that the plan? Appear to be doing something while protecting your mates’ share portfolio for a bit longer – typical Tory self interest. The only way we will see improvement in the integrity of government and business is to cleanse the Augean Stable of this corrupt Tory government.
“The only way we will see improvement in the integrity of government and business is to cleanse the Augean Stable of this corrupt Tory government”.
Replace it it what? – who?
Maybe the Knighted and multi millionaire Labour party leader (£2,000,000 house in Camden) or if you want to step down a little the dishonest chav Rayner who bought and sold her own council house happily depriving someone on the waiting list…
Is there an election looming on the horizon? Hmm, – too little too late Bob. I for one would rather vote for the Raving Monster Looney Party than “See less Seeley” and I’m almost ashamed to admit that I’ve been a Tory all my voting life. Never again!!
Hey, are the Raving Monster Looney Party putting up a candidate against Bob, they’ll get my vote!!!
Better late than never sausage,
Sadly Bob too little too late. The lefties and media have wrongly convinced the great unwashed that filling our nation with poor unchecked unsuitable people and mixing social housing with that which people have worked hard to achieve, and paying the most unsuitable to breed is a good idea.
They will learn , the hard way. Give it a few short years, initial boom on borrowing then mass unemployment and riots. Watch and learn
Spot on kevin!
Have you herd the new Tory slogan?
“We make the problems and then pretend to fix them. Proud to be running the UK into the ground since 1834”.
Boing Boing Bob pops up again
But following his ‘debate’ in parliament on the subject, the (deputy) sec.
of transport has already told Half-sausage-Seely that it is CONservative policy for private companies like Wightlink to make massive profits from non-rich people & that they will do nothing about it…
Writing another letter will do f.all
Don’t hear for over 4 1/2 years and now suddenly you’re coming out the woodwork anyone would think you cared for this island? Oh that would be a no you care about being re-elected.
Ooh… more letter’s. That’ll work…
This is yet another waste of time and will be so slow. The Island people would do better to demonstrate, disrupt all sailings and block the roads around all the ferry terminals. Demonstrations are the only thing government’s take notice off. Half a sausage Bob is just an electioneering wind bag