At last week’s full council meeting, the subject of ferry services and fares was raised several times.
Many Islanders have expressed deep concern at Wightlink’s decision to cut many late night crossings, particularly those who work shifts on the mainland.
Bembridge and St Helens councillor, Jonathan Bacon, submitted a written question regarding the issue. He asked,
“In light of the proposals by Wightlink to reduce its service from the beginning of 2013 will the current council leadership be taking any steps to take on board the widely expressed public concerns about the proposed cuts, to speak with Wightlink to communicate those very valid concerns and to seek, as far as possible, to ensure that an adequate, appropriate and affordable level of service is maintained for Islanders on the routes currently operated by the company.”
Jumping on “populist bandwagon to gain a quick headline”
Cabinet Member for Procurement, Fire, Highways and Transport, Cllr Giles, gave a prepared response to Cllr Bacon.
Parts of his response (see below for full response) were surprising to some in the chamber and public gallery, such as his inference that Cllr Bacon may be jumping “on a populist bandwagon” by raising the concerns of Islanders.
Keep quiet about ferry issues
Cllr Giles said – and this was also echoed by Council Leader, David Pugh – that residents should “avoid giving the impression that the Island is expensive or difficult to reach”. Going on to suggest that if they did, it may impact the success of tourism on the Island.
“What you won’t find this Council doing is joining any bandwagon which gives potential visitors to the Island the impression that this is a place that is expensive and difficult to reach. I would ask those who are tempted to follow that path to consider the impact their actions could have on would-be visitors, the lifeblood of tourism, that cornerstone of our economy. “Don’t even think of coming here” their message says, “it will cost you too much and you may be lucky to book a crossing” said Cllr Giles.
Full response from Cllr Giles
Cllr Giles responded to Cllr Bacon’s question, “Cllr Bacon should know that, short of bidding to buy Wightlink, this Council cannot control its level of service and prices.
“It is easy to shout from the sidelines that ferry fares to and from the Island are too high and that the services overnight are not as frequent as people would like. And of course we would all like cheaper ferry fares just as we would all like cheaper train fares, cheaper petrol and cheaper gas and electricity. But it is all too easy for some politicians to jump on a populist bandwagon to gain a quick headline.
“I believe that it is far better to be realistic about the situation. As a Council we will continue to do all we can to encourage the ferry companies to keep their prices at the lowest possible level while maintaining a regularity of service that residents, visitors and businesses reasonably desire. Indeed I have met Mr Kew, the Chief Executive of Wightlink, only this week for that very purpose.
“What you won’t find this Council doing is joining any bandwagon which gives potential visitors to the Island the impression that this is a place that is expensive and difficult to reach. I would ask those who are tempted to follow that path to consider the impact their actions could have on would-be visitors, the lifeblood of tourism, that cornerstone of our economy. “Don’t even think of coming here” their message says, “it will cost you too much and you may be lucky to book a crossing”.
“We prefer the approach of the new Chief Executive of VisitWight who puts it every differently. He describes the ferry crossing as the first, enjoyable part of a holiday. I agree. We should be emphasising the positive if we wish to encourage visitors to the Island.
“Unfortunately this Council has no authority or power to set ferry fares or service frequency. We do need to remember though that as Islanders we enjoy a significant 30% discount on Wightlink fares.
“Multilink car tickets have risen by less than inflation in recent years. There are also discounts of up to 40% for disabled travellers and of 50% for Islanders who need to travel to the mainland for regular medical treatment.
“Some comments I have seen seem to suggest wholesale cutting of services which of course is not the case. There will continue to be sailings from the early hours of the morning until late evening on all routes as well as services in the small hours on the Fishbourne route although I accept that regrettably there will be a reduction in the number of services between midnight and 4.00am.
“We will continue to talk regularly to all the ferry operators and residents’ views on them robustly, particularly relating to the circumstances of commuters, hospital patients and schoolchildren.
“So the short answer to Cllr Bacon’s question is “yes, I have spoken to Wightlink about these concerns”. I will continue to press them to maintain service levels and to keep fares as low as possible but ultimately they are a commercial organisation who need to balance their costs against the level of revenue they can generate.”
Image: Robert D. Brooks / Abe Novy under CC BY 2.0
