Joe Robertson MP has this week met with the Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security to discuss what plans the new Labour Government has to improve cross-Solent travel services for Isle of Wight residents.
While the discussions were cordial, Joe raised significant concerns about the Government’s understanding of the transformational changes required to address the Island’s unique transport challenges.
The Isle of Wight East MP explained to Minister Mike Kane MP that the continuing status quo is simply unacceptable for Islanders and that there is a clear demand for government intervention. Furthermore, high costs are putting off visitors and damaging the local economy.
Mr Robertson said that UK public transport is underpinned by public money and minimum service obligations imposed by the Government except for Isle of Wight ferries which are an outlier.
The Labour Government is currently taking trains into public ownership starting with South Western Railway which runs Island Line, and spending a further billion pounds on buses including millions for the Isle of Wight. The British taxpayer also subsidises Scottish ferries.
Following the meeting with the Minister, Joe Robertson MP said:
“The Isle of Wight is a complete outlier, entirely reliant on private, foreign-owned, unregulated, unsubsidised, debt-laden companies for essential travel.
“All we are asking is for the Island to be treated the same as everyone else at a time when the Government is reforming UK transport. This is not simply a breakdown in trust between ferry companies and the public – the cross-Solent transport model is broken and needs the Government to take action.
“I look forward to welcoming Minister Mike Kane to the Island next year, and hopefully, we can persuade him that he needs to shift from his position of the Government being a mere facilitator of meetings to one where the Government plays a role in cross-Solent travel, like with trains, buses and Scottish ferries.
“We need a long-term, permanent solution that ensures Islanders can live, work, and visit family without paying huge costs to foreign-owned ferry companies and their shareholders.”
