Wightlink’s FastCat service returns this week (Thursday) for the first time this year.
The Ryde to Portsmouth route has been suspended since December due to 'low foot fall' during the pandemic.
According to Wightlink’s CEO, currently, only around 15 to 20 per cent of the normal foot passenger volumes are crossing the Solent, using the other two crossings currently in operation.
At the start of the month (April) an ‘uplift in demand’ led to Hovertravel changing its social distancing measures onboard flights, as exclusively reported by Isle of Wight Radio.
Keith Greenfield says because of an “agreement” with the Isle of Wight Council and the Government they had to choose which firm could continue to operate and provide “life-line services” during the pandemic. Hovertravel was chosen.
He says the reason the FastCat can be reintroduced this week, is because of hopes that visitors are expected to return to the Island for the summer season.
Keith Greenfield, CEO of Wightlink says he is “pleased the wait is over”.
He told Isle of Wight Radio:
“It has been a question of having enough potential business to make it viable and obviously all the companies have suffered heavily over the last year financially. We just have to take sensible precautions and live within our means really.”
“I think customers have been left with a way to get across the Solent. Currently, on the Portsmouth to Ryde route, there are only just over 1,000 customers a day using that route on Hovertravel. Normally both companies would be expecting to see three to four thousand a day.”
He praised the efforts of Hovertravel, who Wightlink has worked with “closely” to make arrangements for customers.
Keith added:
"Just to re-emphasise we have always wanted to get the FastCat service back as soon as we could. Our crews are dying to start runnning our customers about. They will be out training and as a company, we wanted to bring the service back as soon as possible but on a sustainable basis and protecting the company’s finances.”
meanwhile, strikes planned by the RMT Union have also been called off, after they were threatening to host a series of strikes in July.
From Thursday, the FastCat will run an hourly service, seven days a week.
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