From the Isle of Wight Observer today:

A major new report issued by the body that “speaks with a single voice about strategic transport priorities for the south-east” and the Department for Transpor has regard to when developing government policy, doesn’t even mention ferries.

Transport for the South East (TfSE) was established in 2017 and yesterday published its first ‘State of the Region’ report. While it covers ‘affordability of transport’ for both buses and rail and the Isle of Wight’s rental e-bike trial, there is no mention of the Island’s unique dependence on cross-Solent services in its 58 pages.

What the report doesn’t include is cross-Solent transport as this would no doubt have caused a computer meltdown when they input ferry prices.

It also details the reduction in the number of start-up businesses since 2017, as well as the reduction in the total number of businesses in our region. It isn’t good news. It also begs the question, ‘What has our MP Bob Seely been doing for the Island since his election in 2017?’

https://iwobserver.co.uk/no-mention-of-ferries-in-58-page-transport-report/

Isle of Wight ferries are typically running at twice the cost of CalMac ferries. See: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2023/11/28/snp-government-owned-ferries-saving-island-communities-costs-at-massive-50-off-the-going-rate/

The equivalent Scottish agency, Transport for Scotland recognised the central place of ferries in Scotland’s infrastructure and had Ernst & Young do thorough comparison, in 2022, with other systems in Canada, Norway, New Zealand and Australia, from which CalMac emerges very well. See: https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/strategic-framework-of-options-for-the-chfs-network-project-neptune/benchmarking/