Red Funnel has announced that it will be running a revised timetable on its hi-speed Red Jet service for 3 days, despite previously stating that it was thought the Red Jet would not be impacted by the ongoing strike action.
With ‘lower-than-normal staffing levels’, it is the cross-Solent operator has said it is necessary to make amends to the Red Jet timetable for Sunday 31st July, Thursday 4th August and Saturday 6th August.
Fran Collins, Chief Executive at Red Funnel, has said:
“It is with regret that, due to strike action and high levels of staff absence, it has been necessary to make amends to our Red Jet service. To provide certainty to passengers, we have announced amends to the Red Jet timetable on 31st July, 4th and 6th August. We have worked hard to protect sailings which are expected to be busier than usual.
“Our priority is continuing to provide a lifeline service and ensure the Isle of Wight remains connected. This includes the transportation of fuel, medical supplies and food, and ensuring passengers can travel for work, education and essential medical appointments.
“As one of the biggest events on the Island calendar, Cowes Week is essential to the Isle of Wight economy and are working hard to maintain services during this time. All passengers who’ve booked with us on strike days have been notified of the ferry crossings they are on.
“We ask for kindness toward our dedicated teams at work during strike days, who are ensuring that customers can keep sailing under challenging circumstances. We have introduced robust contingency plans including the redeployment of colleagues across the business into key roles.
“We continue to engage with Unite in an effort to resolve this dispute as soon as possible.”
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Amended Red Jet timetables
Sunday 31st July
Southampton to West Cowes:
0640, 0750, 0900, 1020, 1130, 1350, 1500, 1610, 1720, 1830, 1940, 2050, 2200, 2310
West Cowes to Southampton:
0715, 0825, 0935, 1055, 1205, 1425, 1535, 1645, 1755, 1905, 2015, 2125, 2235, 2345
Thursday 4th August
Southampton to West Cowes:
0530, 0640, 0750, 0900, 1020, 1130, 1240, 1350, 1500, 1610, 1720, 1830, 1940, 2050, 2200, 2310
West Cowes to Southampton:
0605, 0715, 0825, 0935, 1055, 1205, 1315, 1425, 1535, 1645, 1755, 1905, 2015, 2125, 2235, 2345
Saturday 6th August
Southampton to West Cowes:
0640, 0750, 0900, 1020, 1130, 1240, 1350, 1500, 1610, 1720, 1830, 1940, 2050, 2200, 2310
West Cowes to Southampton:
0715, 0825, 0935, 1055, 1205, 1315, 1425, 1535, 1645, 1755, 1905, 2015, 2125, 2235, 2345
How can it be to do with the strike when they are not on strike on these 3 days. Yet another lie from Red Funnel management team. I can certainly see why the staff morale is so low if not non existent.
It’s time the people start some big protests at the ferry ports. I don’t have the social media skills or the time to organise it. But I’ll join any protests. Something needs to be done. I have seen, in the last year alone, three island companies run by islanders move to the mainland because they could not guarantee getting to appointments when they were based on the island. The ferry companies are killing the island.
We need to go back to Labour’s 1970s, hold the country to ransom and be the sick man of Europe again. Along with a three day week with power cuts, rubbish, rats on the streets. After that we can produce the begin bowl asking for money from the World Moneyettry fund…
Far left communist ideology never work’s, you can’t blackmail a nation into prosperity…it’s never worked in the past, and it won’t work now….
How can Red Funnel justify charging £187 for a two night stay away, yet 2 single day returns are only £50 each. I just don’t understand it.
There have been many occasions when I on my motorcycle, have been paying almost double what the CAR next to me has been paying. It’s absurd. Then they have the cheek to make me park the bike to the side to free up the cheaper, car spaces, the whole pricing strategy is chaos. I just take the car now, over the year it works out cheaper.
They all sing from the same hymn book. I queried the same with the other lot and was told it was “tactical pricing”
I quote –
“Return tickets are considerably discounted. Our Period Returns can be considered as our standard fares, This tactical pricing not only reflects the travel restrictions attached to day tickets compared to the flexibility offered by Period Returns but is also designed to encourage day visits to the Island and boost the tourism economy.
The Red Flannel Chief Executive Fran Collins says, Inter alia :-
“Our priority is continuing to provide a lifeline service and ensure the Isle of Wight remains connected. This includes the transportation of fuel, medical supplies and food, and ensuring passengers can travel for work, education and essential medical appointments”.
NOOOOOO!
Your priority, Fran, is to maximise the profits for Red Flannel’s Directors and shareholders and to boost your own personal profit-based bonus scheme!
For God’s sake!
Build a tunnel with a 24/7 rail shuttle service between the island and Southampton and/or Portsmouth. No cars!
More people stuck on Alcatraz.
At least it will keep people like you from travelling over here
Wouldn’t want to come back
I expect she means “making amendments”.
I doubt whether RF is minded to “make amends” over its awful service.
The service they were providing with regards to reliability and frequency of crossings and cost etc was lousy before these strikes now its even worse . I pitty anyone who has to rely on these two ferry companies to go to the mainland regularly to commute for work etc. Their abismal.
Should be illegal for them to strike..its a critical service we all depend on…f#$king disgusting..build a bridge and get rid of this ridiculous company