This in from Red Funnel, watch out if you’re planning to travel over the festival period. Ed
Red Funnel’s Vehicle Ferry and Red Jet Hi-Speed services will be extremely busy on the main arrival and departure days around the Isle of Wight Festival.
Additional Vehicle Ferry and Red Jet sailings have been added to the timetable on 21, 22, 24 & 25 June please visit www.redfunnel.co.uk for more details.
If you are travelling to or from the Isle of Wight between 21 and 25 June 2012, please read the following advice.
Thursday 21 & Friday 22 June
Foot Passenger services (Red Jet and Vehicle Ferry)
On Thursday & Friday, it is anticipated that there will be queues from mid-morning until the evening on the vehicle ferry service and Red Jet service from Southampton, with no anticipated delays for East Cowes or West Cowes
departures. As in previous years foot passenger travel will be on a first-come first-served basis. Holders of Books of Tickets, 12 month, 6 month, 30 day and 7 day Season Tickets, pre-paid Travel Card customers, elderly and disabled customers and passengers with NHS/Hospital appointments for these dates will be prioritised but delays should still be expected.
Vehicle Ferry Services
Vehicle traffic from Southampton will be extremely busy across the day. To help prevent traffic congestion, vehicle customers must pre-book and arrive no more than 1 hour and no less than 30 minutes before their booked sailing time.
Saturday 23 & Sunday 24 June
All Red Funnel services
The weekend days have capacity in both directions and no delays are anticipated on either route, although traffic later into Sunday evening will be busier than normal.
Monday 25 June
Foot Passenger Services (Red Jet and Vehicle Ferry)
Queues are expected from 9am until late afternoon for foot passengers departing from East Cowes and West Cowes. Again, foot passenger travel will be on a first-come first-served basis. Holders of Books of Tickets, 12 month, 6 month, 30 day and 7 day season tickets, Travel Card customers, elderly and disabled customers and passengers with NHS/Hospital appointments for these dates will be prioritised but delays should still be expected.
Customers are advised to allow additional time for onward connections.
Vehicle Ferry Service
As in previous years, Red Funnel has been working closely with the IW Council, East Cowes Town Council, the Police and Solo to help mitigate disruption to the residents and businesses of East Cowes after the Festival.
To help prevent traffic congestion, vehicles must be pre-booked and are requested not to turn up more than 1 hour before their booked sailing time. All ferry traffic (excluding booked freight vehicles) will enter a traffic management system at Whippingham (Beatrice Avenue) which will be in place to manage the flow of vehicles entering East Cowes; this will be clearly signed and well staffed on the day by Red Funnel staff, IW Council Highways and the Police.
For the latest service updates over this period follow Red Funnel’s official Travel News Twitter feed @RF_Travel_News or view the Service Status on the Red Funnel website or mobile website (www.redfunnel.co.uk)
