Inter-island ferry schedule ‘not enough for Guernsey’

Earlier this month, Economic Development announced Manche Iles as its first-choice operator of the proposed passenger-only service.

The French ferry company’s confirmed schedule for May to September includes 49 day trips from Jersey to Guernsey, and only seven from Guernsey to Jersey.

‘Talks are ongoing with Manche Iles about potential services it could offer, in addition to its already announced schedule for this summer,’ a spokesman for the committee said yesterday.

‘We will provide additional detail once those discussions have concluded.’

Confederation of Guernsey Industry chairman Clive McMinn, speaking in a personal capacity, said the current schedule was simply not good enough.

‘We need to invest to kickstart the economy, get things moving and start competing again. We are not just a subsidiary to Jersey, but that is what we could end up as if we don’t move with the modern world,’ he said.

‘[The day trips from Jersey to Guernsey] would be worthwhile for the economy, but Guernsey people want to be able to get off the island for the day as well. The price of doing so is extortionate at the moment and we always seem to be prejudiced against.

‘If our government has to subsidise it, then so be it. Someone has got to invest, we cannot just hope something is going to happen.’

David Harry, chief executive officer of the Guernsey Sports Commission, said more Guernsey to Jersey rotations were needed to maximise participation in inter-insulars. ‘It would be useful for island sports as there are just as many inter-insular events in Guernsey as there are in Jersey,’ he said. ‘At the moment the schedule is not as advantageous as it could be and it serves Jersey better.

It is a bit like Condor’s sailings from Jersey to St Malo, which are often available twice a day, while you would be lucky to get a couple of sailings a week from Guernsey.’

Manches Iles has said, in response to a request about its summer timetable, that its current sailings were ‘set in stone’.

‘If the States of Jersey and Guernsey request more sailings, Manche Iles is not going to turn them down but will ask for financial support,’ a spokesman said.

Guernsey Cricket Board chief executive Mark Latter said former chairman Dave Piesing had been in dialogue with Manche Iles about how its schedule would fit in with the Channel Islands Cricket League due to take place this summer.

Mr Piesing is currently out of the island.

‘I think it is reasonable to say at this moment that it does not look as exciting as it could have been,’ said Mr Latter.

‘With the timetable as it is, it would just about be workable for Guernsey teams to go to Jersey [on the 8am] and return on the 6.50pm. However, with the Jersey boys 5pm [the return sailing] would be too early and we would be looking at a mix and match outcome [with another form of travel], which isn’t ideal.’

Chris Minty, chief executive of the Jersey Cricket Board, has said a suitable schedule would be an improvement on the ‘limited and very costly’ travel options currently available.

Mr Latter said that, whatever the outcome of negotiations, a timely decision was needed, so that all sports groups waiting on a final schedule can find an alternative transport if necessary.

Guernsey’s and Jersey’s States launched a tender process in December for an operator that could provide day-trips between the islands from May to September.

Out of the nine expressions of interests that were made, only two companies – Manche Iles and Bumblebee – made a formal bid by the 18 January deadline.

Economic Development president Charles Parkinson has said the current offer would provide an additional 25,000 seats between the islands, including Alderney, and has said Economic Development ‘will work hard with the preferred supplier to maximise this opportunity’.

Deputy Parkinson has said he is not personally involved in discussions with the operator.