Ferry deal is ‘good news for Guernsey’ - Inder
Ferries bypassing Jersey could be an advantage to Guernsey – rather than the island continuing to play ‘second fiddle’ to its larger neighbour.
Economic Development president Neil Inder told a Scrutiny panel hearing into his committee’s handling of the pan-island ferry tender process that he was cautiously upbeat about the prospect of a Guernsey-only ferry service.
‘There is a lot of very good news about this,’ he said.
‘We have certainty, we have a contract – we have spent the last 15 years out of contract that has been a massive risk to the island – we have the fleet investment, we have direct routes to St Malo, we have opportunity after opportunity.’
Jersey rejected Guernsey’s selection of Brittany Ferries after a drawn out pan-island tender process ended somewhat acrimoniously in October, and then announced at the beginning of this month it was going it alone with Danish shipping giant DFDS.
Deputy Inder said the new contract with Brittany Ferries would mean passengers would not be paying more for travel than they did today, and would see fairer charges for freight.
The Scrutiny Committee was told the existing freight rate card had pricing levels depending on how much freight was being carried on any one sailing.
‘We have flattened out that rate card,’ said Simon Steele, director of procurement, one of four civil servants who joined Deputy Inder and vice-president Steve Falla on the panel.
‘To encourage competition in the market, those higher discounts are more available.
‘The smaller buyers should get better rates than they do today.
‘If you look at the vehicle and passenger pricing, again similar to what we have today, the public should not see increases.’
Jersey and DFDS have announced the intention to have completely flat rate freight card.
But in response to questions from Scrutiny panel member Deputy Gavin St Pier, Mr Steele said that would mean the biggest buyers in the market paying more than they were now.
Read more in Tuesday’s Press.
