Red Funnel is once again reassuring Islanders that there will only be essential travel to the Isle of Wight over the Early May Bank Holiday weekend and that there has been no increase in passenger booking numbers.
The cross-Solent operator is continuing to deter non-essential travel through campaigns to remind the public of the government’s guidelines and is keeping processes in place to decline bookings for recreational vehicles (motorhomes, caravans and camping trailers), unless for essential reasons only.
Bookings for the forthcoming long weekend remain consistent with the public continuing to follow the government’s advice on non-essential travel as island accommodation providers also continue to keep their doors closed to holidaymakers.
Instead, the ferry operator is encouraging people to enjoy the beautiful Isle of Wight from home with its “Dream Now, Sail Later” campaign where visitors can sit back and enjoy a virtual, aerial tour of the island’s beautiful coastline from the comfort of their homes. For more information, or to join in, visit the website here: https://www.redfunnel.co.uk/en/isle-of-wight-guide/Red-Funnel-Blog/featured-articles/virtual-tour-of-the-isle-of-wight/.
Fran Collins, CEO of Red Funnel, said:
“It remains crucial that the public continues to follow the government’s advice and stay home to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We’d like to thank our passengers and staff for the ongoing efforts in helping to keep the Island, and each other, safe and protected during this time. Our message to everyone is to stay home and to Islanders in particular, please continue to keep any visitors from travelling to see you over the extended weekend and refrain from any recreational travel.
“We look forward to welcoming visitors back to the Isle of Wight at the appropriate time, and in the meantime, we encourage people to enjoy our virtual tour of the island instead.”
Keep up to date with the latest developments as to how Red Funnel is keeping the island safe and responding to COVID-19 at www.redfunnel.co.uk/COVID-19.
I think that before you can book a private car on the ferries you should have to prove that the journey is necessary. There is no excuse for bringing a car over just for a drive round.
I know for a fact that main land visitors come and go unchallenged on Red Funnel.
I can’t believe that people are still just allowed to come into the country and not have to go into quarantine. They eradicated rabies in this country from making dogs go into quarantine, so they should definitely be making people go into quarantine when coming into the country now. That goes for everyone, visitors from overseas, or British people coming back from somewhere.
This should have happened in January, as soon as the first cases appeared outside of China. Then we would not have had a lockdown, an economic crash & over 30,000 reported deaths, let alone those that were not reported as Covid, as no testing was available. The Conservatives have so much blood on their hands. But like the Iraq enquiry, and Hillsborough. no one will be prosecuted, and no lessons will be learned. It will just get swept away with no accountability.
Read this : https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/homicide-murder-and-manslaughter.
People can/should and will be prosecuted if their reckless action leads to death from Covid 19. Please share widely
Well said . We have a family 2 doors down arrived to their second home over the weekend 2 adults the son and his girlfriend. Really essential travel. Makes my blood boil.
Get PC Plod from the Covid Squad on the case!! Send them packing, We don’t need or want these idiots here!!!
People found in their second homes should be given the maximum fine and sent packing. You should have reported them to the police.
Went on their website and a banner says only report breaches if you think it is severely endangering people! Didn’t know what to make of that. Should I still do it? I want to
UN Charter on Human Rights:- Article 13
1. Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each State. 2. Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.
Not when there’s a pandemic….
Only in normal circumstances this is a deadly virus and needs to be treated as such and not be travelling about spreading germs
Well that’s okay in principle Timmy lad but you might not have realized there’s a little bit of a bug thing going around at the mo old chap.
That’s already brought in emergency powers restricting movement.
Universal Declaration on Not Wilfully Aiding the Spread of a Disease;- Article 1
1. Don’t wilfully aid the spread of a disease
2. Don’t wilfully aid the spread of a disease
Bugger the UN charter on Human Rights article 13, what the hell do they know about it. It is my right not to be killed by this virus
Yes, you are right, but, with rights come responsibilities.There is no point having rights, where one person says my rights are paramount to the detriment of everyone else
s rights. Searching the Human Rights Act you will find that. We are all in this together, so if the collective is that these rights are to be managed carefully for the foreseeable future, so be it, for everyone's sake and for the maintenance of those rights. These rights are not abolished, just managed for the good of everyone. Thats how it should be.Good on you red funnel well done
Not well done. Holiday makers are still coming no matter what they say.
Quite a number of Holiday Makers over here, one easy clue is they keep checking their sat-nav and stopping to double check
On Friday I will be going to ferry ports and taking pics and videos of the cars and holiday makers coming off, I will send these to the Island Echo to see if they are interested in posting them.
Send them to the Daily Mail, they seem to like naming & shaming.
They won’t! Should do though.
They maybe restricting caravans but they are still allowing wide load huts/lodges to come over which are definitely not essential.
Dear Red funny do you think you may have chosen a better picture ? LOOKS RATHER FULL
some one is letting these “holiday makers” onto the island, today two cars with Belgium plates lots of luggage and a large camper van with Italian plates touring the island, and that was in my essential journey as a key worker to work and back. Must be Wightlink !!!
I think if they really wanted to, both Red Funnel and Wightlink, in liaison with the authorities, could stop all non-essential travel. There are ways and means with commitment. These statements don’t really have any teeth.
Doesn’t the Border Force have some spare officers at the moment? We could / should make good use of them .