Wightlink poll:

Wightlink sale Poll: Is the sale of Wightlink a good thing?

With the massive news that Wightlink has been sold, it only makes sense that Islanders have their say what they think about it – obviously gut reaction at this point.

The quick way we could think of is via a single click poll

Of course, feel free to leave your comments below as well.

Results
(There doesn’t appear to be a way of finding out how many people voted!)

Image: davidcjones under CC BY 2.0

Update 14:00: Added what seemed obvious, that it’s only possible to have a gut reaction at this point.

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mat
16, February 2015 11:22 am

This can’t really fall into the realms of good or bad for the public because the fortune lies between Venture Capitalists, Macquarie and Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Partners LLP (BBIP).

ALLAN
Reply to  mat
16, February 2015 11:29 am

guess if BBIP have used money they already had as the funds for this we won’t be paying Mcquaries horrendous interest rates they charged

lee simmons
16, February 2015 12:40 pm

How can it be a good thing when its still the same management team with the same ideas I.e keeping fares high ?????

rob
16, February 2015 1:05 pm

But does the management team know much about running a tunnel operation?

Tim
16, February 2015 1:09 pm

If it leads to civil engineering company Balfour Beatty building a bridge or tunnel it has to be a good thing

Kelvin
16, February 2015 2:16 pm

Only a good thing if the fares are lowered,this must be one of the most expensive strips of water in the world.Ridiculously high charges for such a short trip,but then again it is rip off England!

Geoff Hughes
16, February 2015 2:55 pm

Depends if it is same management with ideas of making profit to line their pockets or in the interest of the Isle of Wight people. Geoff Hughes.

C harding
16, February 2015 5:51 pm

Hopefully the MD of Balfour Beattie lives on the island and knows how dreadful they have become in the last 3 years

Chris
16, February 2015 6:49 pm

In reality the big priority for Wightlink is new tonnage for Portsmouth-Fishbourne, whose cost the previous owners seemed unable to justify – that BB have purchased them knowing this potentially bodes well.

Chris
Reply to  Chris
16, February 2015 6:50 pm

‘tonnage’ is ships for anyone wondering

Cynic
Reply to  Chris
16, February 2015 6:59 pm

…. and presumably they are also aware of the cost of changing the existing ferries to use the new fuel as a result of the EU directive? (One of the alleged causes of the Hoegh Osaka listing problem was that the lower density of the new fuel moved in the tanks because the baffles were not designed to cope with it. Think if that happened to a… Read more »

greenhey
17, February 2015 2:22 pm

Forget the idea of a fixed link, whether tunnel or bridge. 1.Cost- either option would be massively expensive; it is not simply the cost of the structure, but also the approach roads on either side. 2.Enviroment- there would be massive opposition to a bridge high enough to permit shipping; and a tunnel would create massive problems of waste and ventilation. 3.Practicality-how many people on IOW have used… Read more »

mat
Reply to  greenhey
18, February 2015 1:28 pm

Onthewight said on a previous report: Yesterday we asked John Hayes MP for a comment on the Wightlink sale (He was the Transport Minister who had met with Andrew Turner to discuss a transport infrastructure taskforce for the Island). ‘His people’ got in touch shortly after and said that he wouldn’t comment on a commercial transaction. This is unacceptable saying that they do not comment on commercial… Read more »

septua
19, February 2015 10:12 pm

Time and time again so many people complain to On The Wight or the County Press about Wightlink. Now that it has been sold to a Balfour Beatty subsidiary company, a company based in the UK, we have the opportunity to become shareholders and make a nuisance of ourselves at Balfour Beatty’s Annual General Meetings. You can buy shares in the company for approx. £2.40 each which… Read more »

RJC
20, February 2015 8:46 am

All they have done is purchased a debt. Wightlink will carry on with the same management, who will be told to make more money from fares and loose a few more unprofitable sailings. I also expect a Ryanair approach soon with pay toilets, baggage charges, pets, children and wheelchairs to pay for the space used. But not the ‘budget’ fairs. There will never be a proper inquiry… Read more »

Cynic
20, February 2015 9:03 am

Could somebody please explain to me the apparent dichotomy between the claim “Balfour Beatty subsidiary company,(BBIP) a company based in the UK” and the following address:
BALFOUR BEATTY INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERS L.P.
FIRST FLOOR
DOREY COURT ADMIRAL PARK
ST PETER PORT
GUERNSEY
CHANNEL ISLANDS

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