The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser primarily, finishing in 7 days, to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland - a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson
By Professor John Robertson OBA, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair, UWS
Red Funnel and Wightlink, above, provide ferry services to the Isle of Wight from the South of England.
In January 2025:
Sir Keir Starmer: Isle of Wight ferries ‘simply not good enough’
The Labour leader followed local Conservative MPs saying the same thing, as both made regular cancellations to a lifeline service for locals.
From BBC Hampshire & Isle Wight on 16 January 2025:
Recent ferry services for Isle of Wight residents have “simply not been good enough”, the prime minister told an island MP. Sir Keir Starmer was responding to a question from Joe Robertson, the Isle of Wight East MP, about islanders’ reliance on “foreign-owned, debt-laden, unregulated ferry companies“. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crke053k668o
Old, poorly maintained vessels and consequent breakdowns are the result of inflated executive bonuses and shareholder dividends.
From Isle of Wight County Press yesterday:
Passengers travelling between the Isle of Wight and Southampton today (Thursday, February 20) will be affected by disruption to Red Funnel’s vehicle ferry service. The Red Falcon, which has been in service for 31 years, has a capacity of 892 passengers and can carry 220 vehicles across its three deck levels. It is one of three vehicle ferries operated by Red Funnel on the cross-Solent route.
The Red Eagle remains in service between East Cowes and Southampton. However, the Red Osprey is currently undergoing maintenance in dry dock at Falmouth, where it has been since its arrival on February 13.
That’s 2 out of 3 car ferries out at the same time with no replacements on order.
The other ferry company, Wightlink has similar problems. From the Portsmouth News today:
Wightlink’s St Clare ferry remains out of service on the Portsmouth to Fishbourne route today (February 21) because of a technical problem involving two engines. Both of the engines have developed faults which are believed to be linked. As a result, Wightlink Ferry has cancelled all of St Clare’s scheduled sailings today and have informed customers. St Faith is operating a shuttle service but it is fully booked.
Unreliable but much cheaper then?
£9.20 for a foot passenger, Troon to Brodick and back same day. Wightlink Portsmouth to Isle of Wight and back same day, £27!
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Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
I know someone called Isla Wight, who came from Auchtermuchty, so that is why the Ferries to Portsmouth and Southampton are so bad.
The Herald and BBC Scotland are vying to be able to ‘slam’ her.
Alasdair Macdonald
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Aye don’t give them ideas though..lol!
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Disgraceful that the SNP are even allowed to be in control of the IoW ferries.
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I do hope my link and ‘Ahem…?’ led to this story.
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May I add – how do you register to post with a proper name if you don’t use Fakebook or other social media?
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Oh, there you go! Hello!
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That’ll be the Transport Secretary gone and the Prime Minister’s job on the line.
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Nah, the BBC will doorstep the SNP transport minister, just like they did when British negligence killed those people in Stonehaven when their shitty rail line caused an accident.
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