Latest news with #FerryBridge
BBC News
21-05-2025
- BBC News
Guernsey-Portsmouth-Jersey ferry detour cost us £20k, says circus
A circus boss whose company had to travel from Guernsey to Jersey via Portsmouth due to a "lack of ferry services" between the two Channel Islands said the detour cost £20,000 in lost time and Hatton, manager and ringmaster of Gandey's Circus, said a gap in inter-island freight ferry travel meant they had no choice but to travel the extra 380km (230 miles) by comes after the islands' governments chose different firms to operate services to the UK and France for the next 15 years, leading to fewer large inter-island said previously they had been approached by a group, FerryBridge, offering to run vehicle and freight services between the islands. The BBC has asked the governments of Jersey and Guernsey for comment. Mr Hatton said in previous years, the circus had been able to perform in Guernsey before travelling directly to Jersey by ferry on the same day. But he said they were "surprised" to discover a reduction in scheduled services this having dismantled the big top on Monday, he said they then left Guernsey at 4:00 BST on Tuesday, before arriving into Jersey via Portsmouth at 07:00 on Wednesday. It meant waiting in Portsmouth for five hours, he said, before loading all their equipment back onto freight ferries. Due to time lost, they had to immediately start constructing the big top on their arrival into Jersey: "We were very tight on time due to losing a whole day travelling and being sat waiting in Portsmouth." 'Really set us back' Although Mr Hatton said the ferries themselves were affordable, the cost of two nights' accommodation for staff who were unable to set-up on site set them also meant they lost a day of shows, he said - another financial blow. "The day of sales of shows and the loss of hotel costs for two days really set us back on our little Channel Islands stint of our tour this year," he added."We love coming here, we'll always try and make it possible."I don't think we'll stop coming here. We'll just have to do things a bit differently and counter some of the extra costs."However, he added: "We'd rather see a new inter-island freight ferry reinstalled with more sailing times."Our schedule is tight, so the more flexibility the better."
BBC News
20-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Jersey and Guernsey politicians clash over ferry offer
Politicians in Jersey and Guernsey have clashed over inter-island ferry island's governments chose different firms to operate services to the UK and France for the next 15 years, but under the new arrangement there are fewer large vessels travelling between Jersey and said they had now been approached by a group, called FerryBridge, offering to run vehicle and freight services between the Kirsten Morel, who was responsible for Jersey's ferry negotiations, said he was "willing to support" the idea, but Deputy Neil Inder, who ran Guernsey's negotiations, said it was too early in the new arrangements. Deputy Kirsten Morel, the sustainable economic development minister who handled the ferry negotiations for Jersey, said island authorities were interested in the offer from FerryBridge."Jersey has said it's absolutely willing to support that, we've not received positive responses from Guernsey," he said."I am slightly concerned that we're being offered solutions and Jersey wants these solutions but we're being pushed back elsewhere, and I do wonder why that's the case." Deputy Neil Inder, President of Guernsey's Committee for Economic Development, said Morel's comments had left him angry."'I'm incredulous that a minister in Jersey appears to have no ability to look in the rear-view mirror," he said."I have already advised the people behind FerryBridge that it is too early in the new ferry arrangements and any ferry proposal seeking ramp access would be incompatible with Guernsey's current contractual, legal and ramp licensing arrangements."Deputy Morel is fully aware of our position, so there shouldn't be any lack of clarity on his part." Despite a lack of options for people wanting to take their vehicles between the islands, there are a number of services for foot passengers. Guernsey company Islands Unlimited launched an inter-island ferry service offering a daily inter-island foot passenger service on high-speed catamaran capable of carrying 316 passengers from Murray, operations director for Islands Unlimited, hoped the service provides more certainty for people wanting to travel between the islands."They want something that they know is the same each day of the week," he said."Not only for the general public, but also for a lot of the tour operators that are trying to have confidence to sell experiences to visitors in both islands."French firm Manche Iles Express will also run ferries for foot passengers between the French coast, Jersey, Guernsey and Sark.
