Lack of travel options for uni students ‘a joke’
limited travel options off island has flared up into a political row as students receive their A-level results today and look to university in the UK.
After Aurigny announced it would continue a reduced service – just operating to Southampton – until at least 21 September, Economic Development Committee member Neil Inder said: ‘What a bloody shambles. Parents been hanging on for news, flights cancelled. #Reviveandthrive, what a joke.
After criticism online from students and parents saying this made it very difficult to get back to university, Aurigny posted a survey which would help them gauge where demand would be for student flights.
The airline also set out its rationale, saying: ‘We understand that September is a busy month for returning students, however as yet we have not had enough demand to warrant activating any other routes than our current Southampton service, which is still not full.’
Economic Development president Deputy Charles Parkinson said it students could fly to Southampton and get a train, or several trains, to their final university destination.
However, Deputy Inder said his colleague had read the ‘room horribly wrong’ and there was a level of expectation that come September, Aurigny would start offering more services on various other routes.
Deputy Inder called on Condor CEO Paul Luxon via Twitter to see if there was anything the ferry company could do to help students in this predicament.
Mr Luxon has offered three options for students, – a Clipper sailing, two fast ferry sailings from Poole at the end of the month, or the revised September schedule which, if there is enough demand, could guarantee at least one sailing for students to use.
But Mr Luxon also warned that it might have to revise its schedule if there was not enough demand and students might have to be flexible in their travel plans.
Meanwhile, the Civil Contingencies Authority raised the prospect of some travel restrictions potentially remaining in place until a Covid-19 vaccine or effective treatment becomes available. It also issued a warning that the ‘likely consequence’ of further relaxing current measures would be new imported cases in the Bailiwick.
