Coronavirus: Red Funnel And Hovertravel Cut Services To 'Minimum'

Tuesday, 14 April 2020 15:56

Red Funnel and Hovertravel have agreed to reduce their services to a 'minimum level', according to the Isle of Wight Council. Changes will see slight reductions in Red Funnel’s car ferry service, and the total withdrawal Red Jet services from Saturday (18). The Hovertravel reduction relates to weekend services only, and weekday services will remain unchanged from the current timetable. Hovertravel will now be the sole provider of the fast foot passenger service linking the Island to the mainland, between Ryde and Southsea. Christopher Garnett, chairman of the Isle of Wight Transport Infrastructure Board, said: “Following extensive discussions last week the board fully supports the decisions by Red Funnel and Hovertravel to reduce their services to the minimum level that will sustain the lifeline services to the Island. These changes follow the announcement last week by Wightlink on its services... “We fully endorse these changes to ensure the maintenance of services for essential travel during these very difficult times. "The operators are making incredible efforts on behalf of the Island while under extremely challenging financial pressures. All parties are working closely with the government to ensure that services can be maintained to ensure the Island remains resilient. “We are now at the minimum service that we have said to the government that the Island needs to keep it going.” Last week, Wightlink halted all FastCat sailings for the foreseeable future, as previously reported. Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely added: "I would like to reassure Islanders that the ferry companies are working together to ensure lifeline services continue. "The reduction in ferry services has been decided following discussion with the Department for Transport and the NHS on the Island. The new timetables will provide a minimum level of service whilst ensuring health and essential needs are met.” Red Funnel

Red Funnel says it has taken the decision to suspend Red Jet services for the forseeable future due to the ongoing reduction in demand.

Passengers will be able to travel on the vehicle ferry service which will still be running 12 round trips per day (instead of 15), to the following timetable:

Departing Southampton: 03:00, 06:00, 07:30, 09:00, 10:30, 12:00, 13:30, 15:00, 16:30, 18:00, 21:00, 23:55 Departing East Cowes: 01:30, 04:30, 07:30, 09:00, 10:30, 12:00, 13:30, 15:00, 16:30, 18:00, 19:30, 22:30 Red Funnel says it will directly reach out to all season ticket holders and those Red Jet foot passengers continuing to travel for essential purposes and will offer 'appropriate support'. Hovertravel

From Saturday (18), Hovertravel will reduce its weekend timetable and offer departures every two hours from 08:15 from Ryde until 18:30 from Southsea.

This critical community service will be the only fast ferry for key workers and time-sensitive supplies needing to travel between the isle of Wight and the mainland.

Hovertravel is accepting tickets from Red Funnel as well as those from Wightlink and continues to serve both the NHS and the Royal Mail with its fast freight service.

Hovertravel’s weekday Essential Lifetime timetable remains unchanged and can be viewed here.