A major improvement project at Wightlink’s catamaran terminal in Portsmouth, which was expected to be completed by early April, will continue for at least another 3 months – double the original timeframe given.
The cross-Solent operator is investing around £1.5million into the Portsmouth Harbour terminal to secure its future. Works began in November last year when a temporary waiting area was erected at the end of the train platform. Then, at the start of January, the next phase of the work began.
At the time it was said that wheelchairs, pushchairs and mobility scooters would be unable to use the Portsmouth Harbour-Ryde Pier Head service for 3 months. However, it has now been confirmed that the passenger restriction will continue beyond April until June.
Wightlink says that the decision has been taken to carry out more work on the building including completely renewing the roof of the passenger waiting area as the original structure was beyond repair.
The company says it is confident that the passenger ramp and reduced mobility access will be restored in June, in time for the Isle of Wight Festival (16th-19th June).
It’s said that the terminal building is set to be fully reopened in time for ‘the peak holiday season’, taken to be July or August this year.
The catamaran service has been hit by a number of delays and cancellations in recent weeks due to a spike in cases of COVID-19 among crew members. As a result, Wightlink will be continuing its winter timetable until 11th April, as previously reported by Island Echo.
Wightlink thanks its customers for their patience during these essential works which will secure the future of the terminal.
this is just a pathetic excuse by wightlink to prevent those with disabilities or other mobility issues or those with small kids in buggies, using the fastcat and inconveniencing their staff.
they could have easily had this work done by now, or at the very least, had arrangements in place for those that cannot manage a few step to continue using the cat, instead of being unceremoniously told to use the car ferry, which takes much longer and is so much more inconvenient.
sort it out wightlink – your excuses are pathetic and beyond credible.
Wightlink thanks its customers
….really – you haven’t got any – seeing as you refuse to allow those with disabilities use the cat for nearly half a year and then continually cancel the boat, so no one can use it.
about time you stepped down CEO Keith Greenfield, isn’t it – after all, this level of incompetence is on your watch.
Ex islander, good idea, if you can sort it,
Let’s do it.
ALL echo readers invited.✔️
And council ?
CP ?
Just sums wightlink up, hope to have it ready for the bloody festival when they can make a fortune, to hell with the people who live on the Island.
Since you no longer are required to carry out a PCR test to confirm results now its no wonder there has been “a spike in covid 19 amongst crew member” you only need to do a positive (very easy to fake) LFD test and bingo minimum 5 days off no comebacks. Manna for the lazy, which is no doubt the issue here.