Islands to consult on sea route licensing

THE security of year-round ferry sailings is at risk if ferry operators are not prevented from cherry-picking attractive routes, Commerce and Employment has said.

In its 2010 business plan, the department announced that it intended to carry out talks with Jersey about the possibility of introducing regulation for passenger ferry operators.

Condor currently operates with a voluntary memorandum of understanding, but at present Guernsey has no legislative power over an operator.

Jersey has ramp permit legislation, which allows for the licensing of routes and a degree of fare regulation.

'Commerce and Employment had considered bringing forward proposals for the introduction of legislation to give a statutory basis to the licensing and regulation of sea links to bring it into a position equivalent to that of Jersey,' a spokesman for the department said.

'In discussions, Jersey advised that it was considering undertaking a consultation exercise on whether or not car and passenger sea services should be subject to a greater degree of regulation, possibly under new legislation.'

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