Wightlink will be suspending its Ryde Pier Head-Portsmouth Harbour FastCat catamaran foot passenger service from the last sailing on Friday (13th November 2020), it has been announced.
The decision has been taken because of lockdown restrictions on non-essential travel, with an 80% decline in passenger numbers compared to 2019. Although the catamarans can carry 230 people, most sailings have fewer than 20 on board and sometimes single figures.
Those looking to travel to and from Ryde will now have to rely on Hovertravel’s service between Ryde and Southsea. However, the 10-minute crossing is often cancelled during the winter months. Island Echo reported last week that ‘Solent Express’ may make a return to the route after 9 years in response to Wightlink’s forthcoming suspension of service, although no announcement has been made today. Now, in the event of adverse weather, Hovertravel will operate a free, dedicated Hoverbus between the Hovertravel terminal in Ryde and the Fishbourne Car Ferry for both Hovertravel and Wightlink customers as an alternative travel option.
Wightlink will also be reducing its Yarmouth-Lymington car ferry sailings to a weekday-only, 2-hourly service following the last sailing on Friday 13th November 2020. The number of cars using this route have declined by 65% year-on-year. Wightlink’s Portsmouth-Fishbourne route will continue as an hourly service.
The cross-Solent operator says it is not sustainable to run loss-making services with such low numbers of customers.
From Monday 16th November 2020, the Lymington-Yarmouth timetable will be amended to support Island students who need to attend classes on the mainland. The first weekday sailing from Yarmouth will depart at 07:30 instead of 06:25.
Wightlink Chief Executive Keith Greenfield says:
“We are sorry to suspend our FastCats and reduce sailings between Lymington and Yarmouth, however we will still be able to transport all essential travellers and supplies to the Isle of Wight on our remaining services.
Article continues below this advertisement “We will continue to monitor demand with a view to restoring services as soon as they become sustainable. Wightlink continue to work closely with the Isle of Wight Council Transport Infrastructure Board and the other cross Solent operators to make sure the Island has the essential services it needs at this difficult time.”
Under the leadership of Isle of Wight Council during the pandemic, all cross-Solent operators continue to work together to keep the Island connected. As part of this co-operation, Wightlink’s foot passenger tickets will be accepted on Red Funnel and Hovertravel. This includes rail tickets and season tickets.
Leader of the Isle of Wight Council, Councillor Dave Stewart, has today said:
“Pressures of lockdown are having a significant impact on our ferry companies, caused by reduced footfall, and they are clearly reviewing their service provision in a similar way to many other businesses.
“However, we as a council will continue to lobby for services to be maintained to their fullest and the Island has connectivity with the mainland in a way that provides a vital lifeline for goods, services and keyworkers.
“I am disappointed that, once again, we are in a position where the Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde Pier Head FastCat foot passenger route is to be suspended from 14 November, although I understand this is a business decision by Wightlink and is due to the substantial reduction in use that has happened due to lockdown.
“However, I am grateful Wightlink are maintaining a limited Yarmouth to Lymington service and in particular the change they have made to the early morning sailing which will support our students who attend Brockenhurst College.
“I do welcome the announcement by Hovertravel that it is reintroducing ticket acceptance for Wightlink customers and adding extra weekday services, including additional flights during peak commuter periods to ensure people can travel to work, to school, to college or university and for medical appointments.
“I wish to thank Hovertravel for the support they are providing.
“The council, as part of the Island’s Transport Infrastructure Board, has been engaging with ferry operators to ensure services are retained as far as possible, but decisions on services do rest with these individual private companies.
“Nevertheless, we continue to work with the MP and the Department for Transport to impress on them that it may be necessary to arrange government intervention.
“I hope that when lockdown comes to an end in December, all ferry companies will review their arrangements, ensure they are stepped up again for Christmas and have plans in place for the new year that ensures our Island is fully open for business when the time is right”.
Money money money not service
It’s a business why would they run at a loss just to make you happy?
Still need to provide a service people need to work and they buy multiple tickets just run it early morning and evening when the weather gets bad the hover wont run
You’re right its not a public service. It was privatised by the Tories years ago and this is the result, no contingency when things go wrong. Its not Wightlink or Red Funnels responsibility to provide transport t a loss or even for no profit, because making money is the sole function of a privately owned company.
Imo, Wightlink’s license should include a minimum service requirement for all routes. They can scale back but shouldn’t be able to shut up shop like this.
Should of been suspended anyway….. I’m glad people are not visiting. After all they are not supposed to be taking jollies over to the island.
How are key workers or students supposed to get across now?
Stick your comment. How am I meant to get to work then and earn the tax man money to give to undesirables living on the island? How can I earn money to feed my family? Grants are great but I don’t want anything from the government.
The government do need to intervene and get a service of some sort up and running. It’s so sad it is all about money money money! This is a service the same that Southern Vectis run!
Hats off to this Hover Boys this time for trying to pull something off positive with the connecting bus service. Let’s hope the Cats will be back in time for Christmas.
Totally agree they are a shining example and so helpful to those who have to travel for work or for mainland hospital appointments! Big for hover travel!
They don’t want to run the service at all. Any excuse to pull it. Hopeless.
Just proves they are not interested in supporting the island and providing islanders with a service, no tourists so no transport for essential travellers. Cant think of a better reason for a bridge or tunnel and then kick the money grabbing ferries into touch, and not let them hold us to ransom with extortionate charges for a pathetic service.
Have you ever seriously considered the alternative?
There are normally six routes to the Island.
A fixed link would then be the only access.
What happens when that fails, for whatever reason?
How are you going to cross the water then?
Well said Steve. A bridge or tunnel would give the ferry companies competition. That would force them to reduce fares and offer a better service in order to compete.
Why do they call them ‘FastCats?’ They used to be, but now 25 min each way is not fast !! The old ferry only took 25-35 min and could walk about, get some food and drink if wanted, look over the side, etc etc… not stuck in a seat without much legroom for the duration…
if wightlink are so down on passengers, perhaps they could have run services from 0647 until 0847 from Ryde and then again from 1547 to 1847 to enable the commuters to travel without having all this hassle – clearly wightlink don’t care about the fact that they have bought season tickets for travel on the fastcat and not the hover or car ferry.
Fastcat tickets are more expensive than car ferry. Are wightlink compensating their customers for that? Also, do they transport their passengers to the car ferry at no cost?
Spot on!
Financial pirates anyway , white link were wearing masks before COVID came along !!!
Very unfortunately the Island is served by Mainland ferries/Hovers, there have been a number of voices wanting the Island to be isolated from the rest of the UK during Covid to protect people, now when a ferry company removes a service there is an immediate backlash.
As an Island, there will always be a need for essential travel such as now, due to the fact the whole country is NOT in a FULL lockdown, people need to go to university/essential work and there are people who NEED to travel to the Island for the same.
If there was ever a reason why we need Island owned ferry companies it is now, the covid situation is an extreme circumstance of a recurring theme of the present providers cutting essential travel. But this is an Island and WE do NOT require a fixed link, just a provider of water transport that works for the interest of Island residents.
Hahaha bloody farcical
Looks like they will be paying more for the bus service then to rely on hovertravel plus surely the hover will be more packed be for 9 and after 5
Are they going to provide free transport to and from the car ferry terminals?
no – as wightlink tickets will be accepted on the Hovercraft, wightlink have complied with Passenger rights legislation under EU regulation 1177/2010 by re-routing you to your final destination at no additional cost.
you can use the Hoverbus to get to and from the Harbour and the hover is within walking distance of the pier at ryde.
if the Hover is cancelled due to weather, neither wightlink or Hovertravel are obliged to compensate under the EU regulation.
if you choose to use the car ferry and not the option of the hover as provided by wightlink – you pay for it yourself.
So what happens when it’s to windy to run the hovercraft?which at this time of the year is a regular occurrence. Wightlink should be running a service for peak travel times to allow key workers to get work and get home.
Our ferry providers are private companies, they are not public services. The won’t run without profit because that is not their function. Privatisation is to blame here. The responsibility for providing public transport regardless of cost should fall on the state I.e. the government. Blame the Tories, they de-nationalised it all……
Do Wightlink know that with the 625 and 750 merged, there will be college students and workers mixing on a busier boat? Great way to protect the island Wightlink. When’s keith Greenfield going to get the sack and when will our council step in and realise thay, like me, there are many workers who rely on a ferry service and one that gets in at 8 in Lymington isn’t good enough for most of us.
Excellent post Marcus, will the Council step in? Answers on a postcard….
Usual pathetic comments on fixed link crap. How many of us would have died or been seriously ill if we had a fixed link. We have enough scum on the island already.
I take it we won’t be putting out our tip box this year hmmm who’s going to pay for Christmas party