Latest news with #Multilink
BBC News
03-04-2025
- BBC News
Isle of Wight ferry discount scheme challenged by island users
Ferry users and campaigners have said claims made by the boss of a ferry operator about its service are Taylor, chief executive of Wightlink, which connects the Isle of Wight with Portsmouth and Lymington, took calls from listeners on BBC Radio Solent on told listeners that 15% of seats were guaranteed to Multilink Pass holders, a scheme that allows islanders to buy lower-priced tickets in bulk, but this could often be more if there was space nearer to the journey. However, Wightlink User Group (WUG) said families were being "disconnected" because there were not enough spaces for islanders and discounts were still expensive. Bronwyn Hamilton-Brown, a trustee of WUG, said the only way she could see her family was if she travelled on the the foot passenger ferry and her family picked her up in Portsmouth. She said the cost for them to come over regularly in a vehicle was too much. "We aren't the priority," she continued. "If they can get £150 from somebody, they certainly aren't going to give us [island residents] one-way passage for £36.50," she added. Others complained about not being able to use tickets bought through the company's Multilink Taylor said the ferry operator did all it could to "allow family and friends to connect".Wightlink could not confirm the precise number of vehicles on each crossing due to their varying sizes but told the BBC: "The amount of space on car ferries reserved for customers with discounted Multilink Passes is, on average, 30% of capacity. "On some sailings it is higher, on others lower - but it is never less than 15%."On the Wightlink website, the cost of 10 singles works out at £36.50 per sailing, and 60 singles - which costs a total of £1,710 - works out at £28.50 per Hamilton-Brown said she felt frustrated by the cost of a Multilink Pass as "the only way you can get a journey for less than £30 is if you buy 60 passes which costs thousands of pounds.""How many people have got nearly £2,000 to spend on ferry travel?" she continued. 'Extortionate' Other frustrations voiced by listeners included comments made by Ms Taylor about terminal cafes offering free food and drink during travel disturbances, and alternative options for people struggling to pay fares due to financial Saunders, from Sandown, asked why being on benefits was the only way to receive a discount: "What about the people who aren't on benefits but the cost of living has really wiped them out. "It's still unaffordable."Isle of Wight East Conservative MP Joe Robertson said: "The Isle of Wight contains the only two constituencies in England which are entirely reliant on unregulated, private companies for connection to the rest of the country. "Wightlink can make changes themselves, and they need to - starting with a cap on extortionate peak car ferry travel and timetabling more early and late services on all their routes." Wightlink confirmed a price increase to the Multilink Pass from 14 April. Responding to the hike, Ms Taylor said: "Our first duty as an operator is to provide lifeline services to island residents."However, in common with businesses across the UK, we are now facing increased operational costs, driven partially by the rise in National Insurance Contributions, meaning we are having to make changes to ticket pricing." 'Investing millions' Sarah lives on the mainland and travels on Wightlink between Lymington and Yarmouth three or four times a year. "I feel sorry for the ferry companies - they don't know when it's going to be busy," she on disruptions to service and the price of fares, she said residents needed to factor that in."When you choose to live on an island, that goes with the territory," she said. A spokesperson for the operator added: "Wightlink invests many millions of pounds every year on regular maintenance and annual refit and dry-docking for its fleet of eight vehicle ferries and passenger FastCat catamarans."Over the last year (31 March 2024 - 1 March 2025) 99.3% of scheduled ferries sailed and 93.2% departed within five minutes of the scheduled time." In a letter to WUG, trustee Mark Rogers - the government's Maritime Directorate for the Department for Transport - made it clear it would not engage with complaints made about transport providers."While we understand the disruption that the issues you raise cause, complaints about transport providers are best handled by the company itself," Mr Rogers said. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ferry boss defends discount ticketing scheme
A ferry boss has defended its discount scheme for Isle of Wight residents, following criticism about the number of spaces available on board. Katy Taylor, chief executive of Wightlink, which connects the Isle of Wight with Portsmouth and Lymington, took calls from listeners on BBC Radio Solent's Hot Seat feature. Callers complained about not being able to use tickets bought through the company's Multilink scheme which allows islanders to buy lower-priced tickets in bulk. Ms Taylor said at least 15% of spaces were designated for Multilink travellers and the ferry operator did all it could to "allow family and friends to connect". The Multilink scheme gives anyone who lives on the island the opportunity to buy a book of discounted tickets in bulk. A standard return journey for a foot passenger could cost about £30 while car tickets are close to £90. A book of 60 tickets under the Multilink scheme costs £1,710 - working out as £28.50 per sailing. Among callers to the programme, Mark in Bembridge said he used the ferry a lot and paid a £680 up-front payment for 10 return car ferry journeys via the Multilink offer. "The primary frustration is when you go on to your website and book Multilink and it says nothing is available. "You're then forced to book and buy a standard fare, then when you go on to the ferry it's not in any way full," Mark said. He added: "A lot of us feel like second class citizens when it comes to the use of Multilink." Ms Taylor said the operator worked hard to balance costs and needed to charge more for standard tickets in order to be able to offer discounted tickets for islanders. She continued: "We have to be realistic that on those really busy times of year, when customers are paying those higher fares, we do need them to be able to book on to those ferries. "Essentially they're subsidising those much cheaper fares." A minimum of 15% of seats are guaranteed to Multilink travellers, but this could often be more if there is space nearer to the journey, Ms Taylor said. Ms Taylor also addressed issues of reliability, including the delays of about 90 minutes on the vehicle ferry service between Fishbourne and Portsmouth since Sunday evening. She said this had been caused by "unusually low" spring tides which meant the vessel could not berth at Fishbourne. Ms Taylor, who took up her post last year, admitted "there is more we could do" to communicate with passengers. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Passengers face long delays after ferry fault Wightlink
BBC News
31-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Wightlink ferry boss defends Multilink ticket policy
A ferry boss has defended its discount scheme for Isle of Wight residents, following criticism about the number of spaces available on Taylor, chief executive of Wightlink, which connects the Isle of Wight with Portsmouth and Lymington, took calls from listeners on BBC Radio Solent's Hot Seat complained about not being able to use tickets bought through the company's Multilink scheme which allows islanders to buy lower-priced tickets in Taylor said at least 15% of spaces were designated for Multilink travellers and the ferry operator did all it could to "allow family and friends to connect". The Multilink scheme gives anyone who lives on the island the opportunity to buy a book of discounted tickets in bulk.A standard return journey for a foot passenger could cost about £30 while car tickets are close to £90.A book of 60 tickets under the Multilink scheme costs £1,710 - working out as £28.50 per sailing. 'Be realistic' Among callers to the programme, Mark in Bembridge said he used the ferry a lot and paid a £680 up-front payment for 10 return car ferry journeys via the Multilink offer."The primary frustration is when you go on to your website and book Multilink and it says nothing is available."You're then forced to book and buy a standard fare, then when you go on to the ferry it's not in any way full," Mark added: "A lot of us feel like second class citizens when it comes to the use of Multilink."Ms Taylor said the operator worked hard to balance costs and needed to charge more for standard tickets in order to be able to offer discounted tickets for islanders. She continued: "We have to be realistic that on those really busy times of year, when customers are paying those higher fares, we do need them to be able to book on to those ferries."Essentially they're subsidising those much cheaper fares."A minimum of 15% of seats are guaranteed to Multilink travellers, but this could often be more if there is space nearer to the journey, Ms Taylor Taylor also addressed issues of reliability, including the delays of about 90 minutes on the vehicle ferry service between Fishbourne and Portsmouth since Sunday evening. She said this had been caused by "unusually low" spring tides which meant the vessel could not berth at Taylor, who took up her post last year, admitted "there is more we could do" to communicate with passengers. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
