Cross-Solent operator Wightlink has pulled another 13 sailings on it’s Fishbourne to Portsmouth route, this time due to a ‘routine regulatory inspection’.
In the past week, since 19th April, no less than 38 crossings between the Isle of Wight and the mainland have been scrubbed for either maintenance work or unexpected breakdowns.
Now, the total number of cancelled trips is to soar to 51 due to a routine regulatory inspection which is affecting services on both Friday and Monday.
On Friday, the 10:30, 12:30, 14:30 and 16:30 sailings from Fishbourne and the 09:30, 11:30, 13:30 and 15:30 sailings from Portsmouth have been cancelled.
It doesn’t end there though… on Monday the 10:30 and 12:30 sailings from Fishbourne and the 09:30, 11:30 and 13:30 sailings from Portsmouth have also been cancelled.
Wightlink has told Island Echo that the cancellations are largely because of the relocation of the Wight Sun ferry from the Portsmouth-Fishbourne route to the Lymington-Yarmouth route. This move was necessary so Wight Sun could replace Wight Light while an engine on that vessel was replaced but the relocation has meant the Portsmouth-Fishbourne route has been operating with 3 boats instead of 4 at certain times.
Mechanical problems over the last few days have resulted in further cancellations. However, all customers scheduled to sail on the cancelled services are said to have been re-booked on alternative sailings – usually within an hour of the original departure time.
Keith Greenfield, Wightlink’s Chief Executive has told Island Echo:
“We are sorry that customers have been affected by these cancellations. Our engineers are doing all they can to repair faults quickly and carry out preventative maintenance to make sure problems do not arise.
“Wightlink usually has an excellent reliability record – less than one per cent of all our sailings so far in 2018 were cancelled due to engineering issues.”
