Author: simon
Wightlink Cancellations Today
Monday, 7th December, 2009 at 12:10 pm, Isle of Wight
Looks like the weather isn’t helping on the Fishbourne – Portsmouth Gunwharf Wightlink car ferry route. Here’s a travel update just in from WightLink – Ed
Please be advised that due to adverse weather, it has been necessary to cancel the following sailings:
From Portsmouth Gunwharf: 12:30, 14:30, 16:30
From Fishbourne: 13:30, 15:30, 17:30
We will be running an hourly service until further notice.
Wightlink would like to apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause. Passengers concerned about their sailing(s) should call Wightlink reservations on 0871 376 1000.
Related posts:
- More Wightlink Cancellations Announced
The next few days will see quite a few cancellations... - Disruption To Wightlink On Sunday
This in from Wightink. Due to the forecast adverse weather... - Wightlink Cancellations on Sunday
Whoops two more cancellations on WightLink ferries.... - Disruption to WightLink Ferries This Afternoon
Disruption to Wightlink ferry... - Wightlink Ferries: More Cancellations
Wightlink have had to pull some sailings today and tomorrow...
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Having travelled back and forth across the Solent yesterday, it became obvious to me where the root of Wightlink’s ‘operational’ issues are.
As well as St Catherine sitting near Hythe Pier doing nothing, I now see that St Faith is tied up next to the terminal at Gunwharf having some serious work done to the open deck. It looks to me as if there is welding going on to the railings around the deck.
Having travelled on two different Wightlink ferries yesterday I also noted out that they are all looking a little run down. Perhaps a reduction in the servicing and maintence budget in these tough times is starting to cost Wightlink in the longer term?
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I suppose it saves them money at the moment. I don’t suppose they have any less passengers travelling with only one ferry an hour, so the ones that are running will be more profitable. It would be a problem if they were cancelling crossings in peak season, when they might have to turn people away who had already booked.
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yes, I agree with this. I recently emailed Wightlink to ask about the planned re-structuring of the Fishbourne fleet which included stretching St Faith & St Cecelia (to be part funded by selling St Catherine – is it sold or just laid up in Southampton? – has dissaperared from current fleet info!) The answer given was that due to the current recession, plans were currently on hold, but still in the 10 year plan!!! I tavel a lot on this route, and to be honest, I am not sure how long the current (reduced) fleet can carry on for – on 2 sunday evenings over the last couple of months, it has been touch & go as to whether I could eben get a crossing . The other benefit we have lost is the planned move to 2 tier loading, which continues to be a problem with St Clare. Rant over!
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This is the problem with the Fishbourne route – it doesnt justify 5 ferries because of the disruption that St Clare causes. If you run 4 you need St Clare’s extra capacity so one of the Saints has to moored up.
Fine enough during the summer, but during the winter when one’s having its refit you only have 3 ferries – add St Clare’s tendency to throw her toys out of the pram and a long spell of bad weather causing things to break and you have a serious problem.
Of course its easy to say that Catherine should be kept serviceable and in ticket but she’s always been the sickly child and with no timetabled work that cant really be justified on the balance sheet.
The only longterm answer to this is a lot of investment but given the amount already spent on Ryde/Por and Lym/Yar routes that seems unlikely to happen straight away. The LRA’s activities and possible (but highly unlikely) consequences dont help either…
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It’s great that you come on here and give us a balanced inside (I assume) view. Thanks.
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Not an inside view as such, but i do know people who work for Wightlink and take an interest in whats going on.
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