• Great Britain

Ryde FastCat - Portsmouth - Ryde Wightlink Fast Cat Foot Passenger Service

A ferry service operated by WightLink

Portsmouth Harbour Station Pier - Ryde Pier Head Ferry Terminal

07:1508:1509:1510:15then every 30 minutes until18:1519:2020:2021:4522:45
07:3708:3709:3710:3718:3719:4220:4222:0723:07

Foot passengers must book in advance and arrive at least 15 minutes before the scheduled sailing time

Ryde Pier Head Ferry Terminal - Portsmouth Harbour Station Pier

07:4508:4509:4510:45then every 30 minutes until18:4519:4720:5222:1523:10
08:0709:0710:0711:0719:0720:0921:1422:3723:32

Timetable data from the Traveline National Dataset (TNDS) , 30 August 2024

More information

  • Timetable on the Traveline South West website

Hovertravel Logo

View Interactive Timetable

View hoverbus fares.

Hovertravel operates the fastest ferry crossing between Southsea in Portsmouth and Ryde on the Isle Of Wight. The Portsmouth to Isle of Wight ferry is the quickest way to get to the island from the mainland - crossings take under 10 minutes! During peak times we add flights ad-hoc to our standard timetable, use our interactive timetable to check the latest services. 

Our specially operated HoverBus provides an easy and quick connection between our Southsea HoverPort and the main rail and coach stations, as well as some great attractions and shopping around Portsmouth.

Download our flight and Hoverbus timetable

*Monday to Friday only **Monday to Saturday only ✝ Fridays and Saturdays from 26th July until 31st August only.

Southsea Terminal
- - 0612 0620 0630* 0640*
0633 0640 0642 0650 0700* 0710*
0703 0710 0712 0720 0730* 0740*
0733 0740 0742 0750 0800** 0810**
0803 0810 0812 0820 0830 0840
0903 0910 0912 0920 0930 0940
1003 1010 1012 1020 1030 1040
1103 1110 1112 1120 1130 1140
1203 1210 1212 1220 1230 1240
1303 1310 1312 1320 1330 1340
1403 1410 1412 1420 1430 1440
1503 1510 1512 1520 1530 1340
1533 1540 1542 1550 1600* 1610*
1603 1610 1612 1620 1630 1640
1633 1640 1642 1650 1700* 1710*
1703 1710 1712 1720 1730* 1740*
1733 1740 1742 1750 1800* 1810*
1803 1810 1812 1820 1830 1840
1903 1910 1912 1920 1930 1940
2003 2010 2012 2020 2030 2040
2103✝ 2110✝ 2112✝ 2120✝ 2130✝ 2140✝
Ryde,IOW Southsea Southsea Terminal The Hard Gunwharf Quays
0615* 0625* 0626 0632 0639 0641
0645* 0655* 0656 0702 0709 0711
0715* 0725* 0726 0732 0739 0741
0745** 0755** 0756 0802 0809 0811
0815 0825 0826 0832 0839 0841
0915 0925 0926 0932 0939 0941
1015 1025 1026 1032 1039 1041
1115 1125 1126 1132 1139 1141
1215 1225 1226 1232 1239 1241
1315 1325 1326 1332 1339 1341
1415 1425 1426 1432 1439 1441
1515 1525 1526 1532 1539 1541
1545* 1555* 1556 1602 1609 1611
1615 1625 1626 1632 1639 1641
1645* 1655* 1656 1702 1709 1711
1715 1725 1726 1732 1739 1741
1745* 1755* 1756 1802 1809 1811
1815 1825 1826 1832 1839 1841
1915 1925 1926 1932 1939 1941
2015 2025 2026 2032 2039 2041
2115✝ 2125✝ 2126✝ 2132✝ 2139✝ 2141✝

On selected dates we are operating extra late flights outside of our usual timetable and we add additional flights throughout the year to support events such as Portsmouth FC late home matches , Walk the Wight , Victorious Festival and Great South Run .

Useful Links

  • Interactive Timetable
  • Late Flights
  • Service Status
  • Terminal Facilities

Extra Event Flights

  • Portsmouth FC Late Home Game Charter
  • Walk the Wight
  • Victorious Festival
  • Great South Run

Connections

  • Car Parking
  • National Rail
  • Island Line Rail
  • National Express
  • Southern Vectis
  • Ferry tickets
  • Route & Port finder
  • Special Offers
  • Manage my booking

Customer Service

Open tickets are valid for up to 12 months from booking date (see ticket conditions).

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Popular Ferry Operators for Ryde - Portsmouth Harbour

  • View Wightlink information

ryde portsmouth catamaran timetable

Latest offers for Ryde - Portsmouth Harbour

Ferry from ryde to portsmouth harbour.

Depending on the season their are usually 17 daily and 122 weekly sailings between Ryde and Portsmouth Harbour. The Ryde Portsmouth Harbour ferry is operated by Wightlink . Ryde Portsmouth Harbour Ferry timetables change seasonally, use our Deal Finder to get the latest pricing and availability for your ferry trip.

Ryde to Portsmouth Harbour Ferry Times

The earliest ferry from Ryde to Portsmouth Harbour typically departs Ryde at about 05:40. The average sailing time of a Ryde Portsmouth Harbour ferry is approximately 22m and the fastest sailing time is approximately 22m.

Ryde Portsmouth Harbour Ferry Prices

Ferry prices for Ryde Portsmouth Harbour ferries typically range between €27* and €118*. The average price is around €71*. The cheapest ferry prices from Ryde to Portsmouth Harbour start from €21*. The average price for a foot passenger is €71*.

Pricing will vary by season and depend on the number of passengers, vehicle type and sailing time.

What is the distance between Ryde and Portsmouth Harbour?

The distance between Ryde to Portsmouth Harbour is approximately 5.8 miles (9.3km), or 5.0 nautical miles.

Is there a Ryde Portsmouth Harbour car ferry?

No ferry operators currently provide a car ferry between Ryde and Portsmouth Harbour

Are foot passengers allowed on the Ryde Portsmouth Harbour ferry?

Yes, foot passengers can travel on ferries from Ryde to Portsmouth Harbour with Wightlink .

Ryde to Portsmouth Harbour Ferry Alternatives

  • East Cowes to Southampton
  • Fishbourne to Portsmouth
  • Ryde to Southsea
  • Yarmouth to Lymington
Ryde - Portsmouth Harbour Route summary
Departure Country UK
Destination Country UK
No. of Operators 1
Operators Wightlink
Average Price 71 €*
Average Daily Sailings 17
Average Weekly Sailings 122
Average Sailing Duration 22m
First Ferry 05:40
Last Ferry 23:10
Distance 5 nautical miles

* Prices subject to change, pricing is taken from last 30 days, last updated 2024-08-12.

Most popular questions

How long is the ferry from ryde to portsmouth harbour, how much is the ferry from ryde to portsmouth harbour, which ferry companies operate between ryde to portsmouth harbour, how can i book ferry tickets from ryde to portsmouth harbour, can you travel as a foot passenger on the ferry from ryde to portsmouth harbour, can you take your car on the ferry from ryde to portsmouth harbour, can you bring pets on the ferry from ryde to portsmouth harbour, how far is portsmouth harbour from ryde.

The town of Ryde is located on the north east coast of the Isle of Wight, which is an island located off the south coast of the English mainland. The towns of Upper Ryde and Lower Ryde grew during the 19th century but then merged. Ryde is known for its sandy beaches which are revealed at low tide, which make the town's pier necessary in order to accommodate the ferry service operating from the town. It is the fourth longest pier in the United Kingdom and is a listed structure. Clearly visible from the see are the two church spires of All Saints' and Holy Trinity churches. The spire of All Saints Church stands at 177 feet and the church was built in 1872 by George Gilbert Scott. Holy Trinity Church was completed in 1845 and was designed by Thomas Hellyer. There are only a few large open spaces in Ryde beyond the esplanade, but includes Appley Park, Puckpool Park, Vernon Square, Simon Street Recreation Ground, St. John's Park, Salter Road Recreation Ground and Oakfield Football Club. From Ryde harbour their is a hovercraft service to Southsea and a catamaran service to Portsmouth Harbour which then connects with both Island Line trains and mainland trains to London Waterloo.

Portsmouth Harbour Guide

The city of Portsmouth is located on the south coast of England in the county of Hampshire. The city, which lies on the English Channel coast, has a long and illustrious maritime history and has connections with the Royal Navy that goes back centuries. The city was also one of the world's greatest shipbuilding centres and constructed the world's first ever dry dock in the 15th century, which is still in use today. The city is still an important base for the Royal Navy and is home to a number of important historical ships including the crowning glory of Admiral Lord Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory. Portsmouth was significantly bombed during the Second World War because of its strategic importance, and as a result the city is a mix of old and new buildings with some of the most historic areas being the Hard and the Point. The nearby suburb of Southsea is a popular destination for families and has a lovely stretch of beach, two piers and a good selection of bars, cafes, restaurants and a theme park at Clarence Pier. Ferry services from the city's port depart to Le Havre, Bilbao, Cherbourg, Caen, St Malo, St Helier, St Peter Port and Ryde.

Ryde to Portsmouth Harbour Ferry Timetables

Timetables between 26/08/2024 and 01/09/2024

Operator Departure Time Arrival Time Duration Sailing Days
Wightlink 05:40 06:02 22 minutes Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat
Wightlink 06:45 07:07 22 minutes Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat
Wightlink 07:45 08:07 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 08:45 09:07 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 09:45 10:07 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 10:45 11:07 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 11:15 11:37 22 minutes Mon, Tue, Sun
Wightlink 11:45 12:07 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 12:15 12:37 22 minutes Mon, Tue, Sun
Wightlink 12:45 13:07 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 13:15 13:37 22 minutes Mon, Tue, Sun
Wightlink 13:45 14:07 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 14:15 14:37 22 minutes Mon, Tue, Sun
Wightlink 14:45 15:07 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 15:15 15:37 22 minutes Mon, Tue, Sun
Wightlink 15:45 16:07 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 16:15 16:37 22 minutes Mon, Tue, Sun
Wightlink 16:45 17:07 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 17:15 17:37 22 minutes Mon, Tue, Sun
Wightlink 17:45 18:07 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 18:15 18:37 22 minutes Mon, Tue, Sun
Wightlink 18:45 19:07 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 19:47 20:09 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 20:52 21:14 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 22:15 22:37 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 23:10 23:32 22 minutes Everyday

Download the Direct Ferries app or manage your booking online through My Account

App

Visit our customer service page to find useful information on travelling by ferry, our FAQs, and how to contact us for help with your booking

ryde portsmouth catamaran timetable

  • Ferry tickets
  • Route & Port finder
  • Special Offers
  • Manage my booking

Customer Service

Open tickets are valid for up to 12 months from booking date (see ticket conditions).

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Popular Ferry Operators for Portsmouth Harbour - Ryde

  • View Wightlink information

ryde portsmouth catamaran timetable

Latest offers for Portsmouth Harbour - Ryde

Ferry from portsmouth harbour to ryde.

There are usually 17 daily and 122 weekly sailings between Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde. This ferry route is operated by Wightlink . Portsmouth Harbour Ryde ferries cost between £41 and £141, depending on ticket details. Prices exclude any service fees. Ferry timetables change seasonally use our Deal Finder to get live pricing and availability for Portsmouth Harbour Ryde ferries.

Portsmouth Harbour Ryde Ferry Times

The earliest Portsmouth Harbour Ryde ferry sailings typically depart Portsmouth Harbour at around 05:15. The last ferry usually departs at 22:45.

How long is the ferry from Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde?

Portsmouth Harbour Ryde Ferry sail durations on this ferry route can take around 22m. The fastest sailings are approximately 22m. Sailing times can vary, durations often differ between ferry operators and can be impacted by weather conditions.

Portsmouth Harbour Ryde Ferry Operator Schedules

There are an average of 17 daily sailings and up to 122 weekly ferry sailings from Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde. These sailings are provided by Wightlink. Please keep in mind that ferry timetables often increase during the high season.

Portsmouth Harbour Ryde Ferry Prices

Portsmouth Harbour Ryde ferry prices typically range between £41* and £141*. The average price is typically £85*. The cheapest Portsmouth Harbour Ryde ferry prices start from £17*. The average price for a foot passenger is £85*.

Pricing will vary depending on number of passengers, vehicle type, route and sailing times. Prices exclude service fees.

How far is it from Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde?

The distance between Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde is approximately 5.8 miles (9.3km) or 5.0 nautical miles.

Can I travel by car on the Portsmouth Harbour Ryde ferry?

No, ferry operators currently do not allow cars to travel on sailings between Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde

Can I travel as a foot passenger from Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde?

Yes, foot passengers can travel with Wightlink between Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde.

Can I take my pet on the ferry from Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde?

Pets are allowed on ferries travelling from Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde with Wightlink. Please also note that your pet may have to stay in the vehicle during the journey unless the ferry operator supplies pet accommodation.

Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde Ferry Alternatives

  • Lymington to Yarmouth
  • Portsmouth to Fishbourne
  • Southampton to East Cowes
  • Southsea to Ryde
Portsmouth Harbour - Ryde Route summary
Departure Country UK
Destination Country UK
No. of Operators 1
Operators Wightlink
Average Price £85*
Average Daily Sailings 17
Average Weekly Sailings 122
Average Sailing Duration 22m
First Ferry 05:15
Last Ferry 22:45
Distance 5 nautical miles

* Prices subject to change, pricing is taken from last 30 days, last updated 2024-08-12.

Most popular questions

How much is the ferry from portsmouth harbour to ryde, which ferry companies operate between portsmouth harbour to ryde, how can i book ferry tickets from portsmouth harbour to ryde, can you travel as a foot passenger on the ferry from portsmouth harbour to ryde, can you take your car on the ferry from portsmouth harbour to ryde, can you bring pets on the ferry from portsmouth harbour to ryde, how far is ryde from portsmouth harbour, portsmouth harbour guide.

The English city of Portsmouth is located on the south coast of England, in the county of Hampshire. It is the UK's only island city and is situated around 100 km to the south west of London and 30 km to the east of Southampton. The city's long history is inextricably linked to the sea. It is home to the oldest dry dock in the world still in use and also to famous ships such as HMS Victory, Admiral Lord Nelson's flagship, the Mary Rose and HMS Warrior. The city is also home to the Royal Marine Commandoes and to a naval base. The city's port is one of the best connected ports in the United Kingdom, serving nine different destinations. To the south of the Naval Base, you will find the Isle of Wight (Ryde) Passenger Ferry Terminal. The Continental Ferry Terminal is served by ferry services to Le Havre in France and Bilbao in Spain. There are also daily crossings to Cherbourg, Caen and St Malo in France, St Helier in Jersey, St Peter Port in Guernsey and to Ryde on the Isle of Wight.

Ryde is the largest town on the Isle of Wight and is often referred to as the "Gateway to the island" due to its prominent position along the shores of the island and its hovercraft and passenger ferry links to the English mainland. Visitors to the town enjoy its lovely sandy beaches which stretch the length of the town, its boutique shops, museums and galleries. As the island's largest town it comes as no surprise to learn that it is also the venue for some of the island's largest annual events. For example, every August bank holiday thousands of scooter enthusiasts descend upon the town for the Isle of Wight Scooter Rally, and just a few weeks later the town's esplanade can be seen draped in classic cars for the International Classic Car Show. Ryde is also home to one of the United Kingdom's oldest carnivals which usually takes place at the end of the summer and forms the end of the Isle of Wight carnival season which travels all over the island. Ryde’s collection of late night bars and clubs also tend to make it one of the most popular spots for nightlife.

Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde Ferry Timetables

Ferry Timetables between 26/08/2024 and 01/09/2024

Operator Departure Time Arrival Time Duration Sailing Days
Wightlink 00:30 01:00 30 minutes Tue
Wightlink 05:15 05:37 22 minutes Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat
Wightlink 06:15 06:37 22 minutes Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat
Wightlink 07:15 07:37 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 08:15 08:37 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 09:15 09:37 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 10:15 10:37 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 10:45 11:07 22 minutes Mon, Tue, Sun
Wightlink 11:15 11:37 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 11:45 12:07 22 minutes Mon, Tue, Sun
Wightlink 12:15 12:37 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 12:45 13:07 22 minutes Mon, Tue, Sun
Wightlink 13:15 13:37 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 13:45 14:07 22 minutes Mon, Tue, Sun
Wightlink 14:15 14:37 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 14:45 15:07 22 minutes Mon, Tue, Sun
Wightlink 15:15 15:37 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 15:45 16:07 22 minutes Mon, Tue, Sun
Wightlink 16:15 16:37 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 16:45 17:07 22 minutes Mon, Tue, Sun
Wightlink 17:15 17:37 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 17:45 18:07 22 minutes Mon, Tue, Sun
Wightlink 18:15 18:37 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 19:20 19:42 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 20:20 20:42 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 21:45 22:07 22 minutes Everyday
Wightlink 22:45 23:07 22 minutes Everyday

Download the Direct Ferries app or manage your booking online through My Account

App

Visit our customer service page to find useful information on travelling by ferry, our FAQs, and how to contact us for help with your booking

ryde portsmouth catamaran timetable

Ryde Ferry Port

At ferryonline you can book ferries to ryde from southsea and portsmouth..

Compare prices with Ferryonline for cheap ferries to Ryde. Check the latest sailings with our comprehensive ferry timetables and book Ryde ferry tickets online with immediate confirmation at the lowest prices.

Ryde Ferry Services

Wightlink and Hovertravel operate ferries to Ryde.

Wightlink operate 24 daily sailings from Ryde to Portmouth. Journey time is just 22 minutes on their high speed FastCat catamarans. There are direct Trainline connections from Portsmouth Harbour to London Waterloo, Brighton, Bristol and Southampton.

Hovertravel are operating high speed hovercrafts which offer reliable and comfortable services even in adverse weather conditions with the journey time of less than 10 minutes.

Ryde Ferry Port Information

The port at Ryde has always been and important part of the Isle of Wight. The community has always relied on the sea to bring in people and supplies.

At the turn of the 19th century travellers started to take advantage of the fast and efficient steamer services that were now visiting the growing 'coastal resorts' around the country and the ferry links provide its modern day equivalent. A regular ferry service between Ryde ferry port and mainland Britain was set up in 1805 and has remained operational in one way or another ever since.

The Pier was built in 1814 and now houses the high speed ferry link operated by Wightlink to and from Portsmouth as well as the terminus for the Island's Electric railway which runs to Shanklin. The Pier is one of only a few in the Country that you can actually drive your car along and park it at the end for the ferry.

Ryde Ferry Terminal

Ryde Pier Head terminal facilities include a ticket office, plus self service ticket machines for foot passengers, cafe, toilets and payphones.

Ryde Ferry Timetables & Sailing Informations

Ryde to southsea.

  • up to 38 crossings per day

Southsea to Ryde

Ryde to portsmouth.

  • up to 24 crossings per day

Portsmouth to Ryde

Ryde port map, ryde port address, wightlink terminal.

Ryde Pier Head FastCat Terminal, PO33 2HF.

Hovertravel Terminal

Quay Road, Ryde, Isle Of Wight. , PO33 2HB.

GPS: 50.7300, -1.1633

More About Ryde Ferry Port

  • Getting to Ryde Ferry Port

Ryde Ferry Routes

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Wightlink Ryde - Portsmouth Harbour Catamaran timetable 2014

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Anger at “abysmal” and “extortionate” Isle of Wight ferries in UK

Paul bond 23 august 2024.

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Nearly 13,000 people have signed a petition demanding urgent action to improve the reliability and affordability of the ferry services between the Isle of Wight and the English mainland. Residents report considering leaving because of rising transport costs that restrict access to medical care and personal visits.

The petition accuses the ferry companies of using passengers as “cash cows.” Travel on and off the island, the organiser Simon Jackson writes, “is absolutely extortionate and simply cannot be afforded by many people now.”

The Isle of Wight is the largest and second-most populous island in England. Situated off the south coast, it has a population of around 140,000. Tourism accounts for 30 percent of the local economy. Access is chiefly by ferry, operated by two private companies.

Wightlink runs two vehicle ferry routes, from Lymington to Yarmouth and from Portsmouth to Fishbourne. It also operates a foot passenger catamaran service between Portsmouth and Ryde, which links up with the island’s limited train service. (Island Line is part of the South Western Railway private franchise). Red Funnel runs vehicle and passenger ferries between Southampton and Cowes.

ryde portsmouth catamaran timetable

There is also a foot passenger hovercraft service from Southsea to Ryde, operated by Hovertravel. There have been several attempts to establish new small-scale private ferry operators out of Yarmouth.

Dissatisfaction with transport provision and its cost came to a head when services were drastically reduced as the COVID pandemic hit. Initially cut altogether, the passenger ferry was not covered by central government’s £6.5 million grant across the three companies to cover “lifeline” supplies and services.

When finally restored, the passenger ferry operated a severely curtailed timetable with the last foot passenger ferry to the mainland at 8.20pm. This encouraged retired headteacher Bronwyn Hamilton-Brown to set up the Wightlink Users Group (WUG) on Facebook 18 months ago, which now has more than 8,000 members. The Daily Mail cited the comments of a 71-year old resident who, having lived on the island for five years, was planning to leave as “You are completely cut off from society by this stupid stretch of water.”

The distance to the island from Lymington, Portsmouth, and Southampton is just four miles, six miles and 10 miles respectively.

WUG identifies its concerns as affordability, especially in scrapping fares for islanders requiring National Health Service (NHS) treatment on the mainland, and timetable improvements to allow later travel, better train connections and shorter delays between crossings.

Rising prices are a major concern. Both companies use dynamic pricing, making many crossings during peak tourist periods unaffordable.

Wightlink offers residents multilink passes offering lower prices, but these must be purchased in advance in one payment. Wightlink say their vehicle prices for residents start at £27.75 per sailing for a standard car, but this only applies if you spend £1,665 on a book of 60 single fares.

These passes cannot be used on every crossing, and only a limited number are allowed even when they can be used. Outside that limited applicability and availability, islanders report having had to pay up to a staggering £440 for a vehicle return during the summer.

The petition says ticket prices are damaging local business and tourism. While much of the evidence remains anecdotal, this seems to be borne out by July’s welfare benefit claims figures.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported 3,135 people on the island claiming “out of work benefits” in July, up by 190 on June when the tourist season was already underway. The figure is also up 600 on the equivalent period last year. The ONS figures misleadingly also include claimants of Universal Credit. This is not an out-of-work benefit, indicating that seasonal wages are not covering needs.

The crisis points to other infrastructural problems. The island’s population is older than the national average. A 2021 demography data report showed a greater proportion of population aged 50 years and over and a lower proportion of those aged 20-44 years than the average across England.

Young people (aged 0-19) accounted for 19.1 percent of the island’s population, compared to 23.6 percent across England. The 20-44-year-olds formed 23.6 percent of the population, against 32.3 percent nationally. Most strikingly, 21.4 percent of the population were aged 70 years and over, against a national average of 13.6 percent.

This inward migration of a relatively affluent group of older people disguises wider levels of rural and coastal poverty and deprivation and points to raised requirements for health provision which cannot be met locally. There is just one hospital, with few specialist departments. Patients must routinely travel to Portsmouth or Southampton for treatment and investigation.

The Isle of Wight is one of the “dental deserts” created by decades of underfunding and austerity. It is all but impossible to get NHS dental care on the island , and even the private dentists that have—for a price—provided some coverage are scaling back their work.

This makes the necessity of affordable travel even more apparent. Wightlink has a 50 percent discount for foot passengers and a £35-each-way cap on vehicle fares for those travelling to NHS hospital appointments. But this offer “does not apply to appointments with GPs, dentists, pharmacists or opticians.”

Even that £70 vehicle cap, won by WUG campaigning, is hardly satisfactory. WUG highlighted the case of Chris Tunnell, whose end-stage kidney disease requires urgent monthly dialysis in Portsmouth. Tunnell’s partner, Paula Brizelden, told press that they “get the [foot passenger] Catamaran and buses because we can’t afford to take the car.”

When Tunnell suffered sepsis and a stroke, his hospital trip was delayed because there was no ferry space available for the ambulance. Jackson’s petition denounces the ferries’ reliability as “abysmal.”

Wightlink claims their reliability remains high: 99.9 percent in June and 99.3 percent in July, with punctuality of 93.7 and 94 percent respectively. Wightlink claimed 29 cancellations across all routes, 26 due to mechanical breakdowns and three to staff shortage. During the period July 12-31, however, WUG members identified 40 cancellations on the Portsmouth-Fishbourne route alone.

Rather than logging cancellations, the company is issuing an “amended timetable” without the missing sailings so it can continue to claim high reliability. Last weekend, the company was forced to announce a “last resort” timetable because of staff shortages.

The escalation of mechanical problems and staff shortages at both companies points to their existence as financial assets dedicated to turning a profit, rather than service providers. Wightlink was originally Sealink, the ferry service of nationalised British Rail, sold off in 1984 for £66 million as part of the Thatcher government’s privatisation drive.

A £100 million management buy-in of Wightlink in 1995 was followed by a secondary management buy-out in 2001, worth £180 million.

In 2005, Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund bought the company. The Australian banking company’s aggressive profiteering from privatised public assets has had a devastating effect on infrastructure, as Thames Water demonstrates .

Macquarie sold Wightlink in 2015 to Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Partners (BBIP), which became Basalt Infrastructure Partners a year later. Basalt sold a 50 percent stake in Wightlink to Canadian investment company Fiera in 2019.

Always a private company, Red Funnel has also long been traded by financial corporations. Having bought Red Funnel in 1989 to forestall a hostile takeover, Associated British Ports Holdings sold it in 2001 to JP Morgan Partners. The Bank of Scotland backed a £60 million management buyout in 2004, and the new owners (including HBOS, Bank of Scotland’s holding company) sold it three years later to the Prudential’s Infracapital. In 2017, a consortium including the West Midlands Pension Fund bought the company.

Both companies have seen strike votes by their workers in recent years. In 2022, Red Funnel workers walked out several times in a pay dispute. In 2020, Wightlink workers voted for strike action against attacks on pension and roster agreements.

Until this year, the island returned one MP. The incumbent, Conservative Bob Seely, defended private provision of essential services while trying to sound concerned. His proposal was minor voluntary regulation of the ferry services and “more transparent ownership.”

Recent boundary changes created two small constituencies from this year. Seely stood for the new West Wight constituency and was so locally unpopular that the vote against him returned Richard Quigley as the Island’s first Labour MP. Tory Joe Robertson was elected for East Wight.

Robertson is pushing for government regulation as a means of protecting “competition” (i.e. private enterprise), saying, “People will need to put political differences aside and work together” to this end. Quigley—part of a Starmer government boasting it will be the most “pro-business” in history—has shown he is prepared to get on board, saying the ferries are “too big to let party politics get in the way.” Quigley said his concern was the effect the problems are having on business and the government’s “industrial strategy.”

The escalating crisis over cross-Solent travel stems from the profit system both parties defend. The issue is not how to game an existing pricing system structured for the benefit of financial corporations but providing an integrated transport and social care system for the benefit of all.

  • Surge in COVID-19 on UK’s Isle of Wight overwhelms health care infrastructure 18 January 2021
  • Isle of Wight Council continues to cut services 9 April 2018
  • Spate of breakdowns in New Zealand’s railways and ferries 22 May 2023
  • Amtrak passenger trains in Michigan hobbled by decaying infrastructure 8 December 2010
  • American passenger rail system plagued with endemic delays 1 August 2007
  • Workers continue Vestas occupation on Isle of Wight 27 July 2009

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COMMENTS

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  20. Wightlink Ryde

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  21. Wightlink Announce Revised Catamaran Timetable

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  24. Anger at "abysmal" and "extortionate" Isle of Wight ferries in UK

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