CALLS FOR PUBLIC SERVICE OBLIGATION AS DEBATE PANEL SLAM FERRY PRICING AND RELIABILITY
Local MPs, business leaders and community figures condemned the soaring costs, unreliability and lack of accountability of the Isle of Wight’s ferry services during the Island Echo/IW Observer State of the Island Debate.
The ferry companies faced a barrage of united, cross-party criticism during Friday’s event, with calls now mounting for a public service obligation to finally bring change.
The question posed to the panel was: “Should the ferry companies be subject to a public service obligation, and if so, why?”.
Richard Quigley MP (Labour, Isle of Wight West) claimed that he and his fellow Isle of Wight East MP spent most of their time on this issue. He added that this was the first time the question had been brought up with the Department of Transport and that he was ‘starting from scratch’.
He revealed that he had illustrated the difficulties for Islanders by placing a map of the Isle of Wight over a map of Swindon – the constituency of Transport Minister Heidi Alexander – for her benefit and explaining that every time you wanted to go outside that map you had to pay up to £300.
Richard said:
“What we need is reliable, frequent, low-cost ferries. If that means a public service obligation, then I’m 100% behind it. If it’s a change in the finance structure, then I’m 100% behind it, if it’s regulation, I’m 100% behind it.
“I can guarantee you neither of us will sleep until this problem is sorted.”
Joe Robertson (Conservative, Isle of Wight East) claimed he had surprised his Chief Whip by exclaiming ‘hear, hear’ to Richard Quigley’s points on the ferries from the opposition benches in the House of Commons.
He said it was in everyone’s interest that both MPs pulled together on the subject of what he saw as the Isle of Wight’s biggest issue.
Joe added:
“What we don’t want is high prices, dynamic spike pricing on car ferries, reduction in timetables, unreliable ferries, ferry companies that don’t invest in their ferry fleets, and paying large amounts of money to private equity companies.
“What’s not normal is how cross-Solent transport is provided. I’ve got nothing against Canadian pensioners, but Isle of Wight ferry users should not be paying their pensions.”
Laura Baxter (Head of Marketing, Blackgang Chine) revealed that while it was possible to come to a Parkdean Resort for just £70, when she wanted to get off the Island to say her goodbyes to her nan, it had cost her £150 for the privilege.
She claimed that dynamic pricing in the summer was ‘absolutely’ crazy and that tourists were only aware of the headline prices and weren’t necessarily aware that they could get discounted prices by shopping around.
Joe Smyth (Chief Officer, Isle of Wight NHS Trust) claimed that ferry prices had a big impact on the hospitals and health care on the Island.
He explained:
“I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve sat in an interview for consultants who pull out when they realise the cost of getting here.
“If we had a service that was affordable, it would allow us to bring in the inward investment that we want and fix the age demographic problem that we have because it would create jobs for our young people. If we don’t do that, the situation on the Island is only going to deteriorate until the point when the Government is forced to step in.
“If we don’t sort out the ferry problem, I can’t see a bright future for us.”
Sir Paul Kenny (former General Secretary, GMB) told the audience of a situation in which a woman had been quoted £512 to come across with a car and a passenger, asking ‘who, in their right mind, would come?’.
He added that ‘dynamic pricing’ meant ferry operators charging whatever they can, depending on how easy it was to ‘mug’ a customer.
Paul said:
“The accountability of these ferry companies is zero. You can write as many complaints as you like. Reliability – you get more out of a chocolate fireguard.
“We’re not going to sit quiet. We’re not going to give up. We’re not going to go away. We owe it to the Island to make them accountable.
“I’d like to go further. I’d like to see the ferries back under democratic control.”
Phil Jordan (leader, Isle of Wight Council) gave ‘enormous credit’ to both MPs for their work on the ferries issue.
Phil continued:
“Dynamic pricing has to change. The service levels have to go up, and the prices have to come down. We have to have better services at better prices for Islanders.”
“But this is not a sprint. This is a marathon to move these ferry companies.”
Steven Holbrook (CEO, IW Chamber) rounded off the discussion by stating that so long as the business model stays as it is nothing would change. He didn’t think there would be a change unless there was a change in Government policy. However, he was encouraged that conversations were happening for the first time.
