Lifeline ferry service at risk
IN JULY last year I (amongst others) wrote to the Guernsey Press outlining my concern that Condor Ferries were putting the lifeline UK service at risk by replacing two catamarans (with a combined capacity of 1,482 passengers and 350 cars) with only one trimaran (with a capacity of 880 passengers and 245 cars). Not only was this a real reduction in capacity, but in the case of an accident, the remaining UK ferry (Commodore Clipper) could not cope in maintaining the service on its own.
We have had the Commodore Clipper running aground last July (when luckily we had two catamarans to provide back-up) and now, within the first week of service, the Condor Liberation has rammed the jetty and many people's travel plans are ruined. Indeed, Condor had to call back the Condor Express to help try and maintain service.
Condor has, of course, sold Condor Express and the question has to be asked – how would Condor have maintained the important UK service without this back-up catamaran?
I, with others, said Condor should keep one catamaran on the Weymouth route to not only provide another link with the UK, but to provide back-up for the very eventuality that has just happened.
If the Condor Express was vital to maintain services now, then it logically means any future accident, without a (back-up) third ferry on the UK route, is a serious risk to this island's lifeline service. This is damaging not only to the island's commerce and islanders' travel options but also affects the tourism we need to encourage.
I believe we were told by Condor that this new trimaran would be a big improvement on the old service, with less weather delays and less sea-sickness in rough weather. But, as far as I can gather from reports in the news, the same restriction on operating in bad weather is applied to the new trimaran as was applied to the catamarans (no improvement there then).
I also understand many passengers were sea-sick when travelling on the trimaran in rough weather (no improvement there also). Then we have the situation where the trimaran was unable to berth in windy conditions – yet the Condor Rapide berthed safely, at the same time, with no problems (definitely no improvement there). We now have the concerning situation where restrictions on the docking of the trimaran need to be applied in high winds, but not on the catamaran. Hopefully this is a temporary restriction because if it becomes permanent, we can anticipate even more cancelled services because it is 'too windy.'
For the record, it is reported there were wind speeds of force 5, gusting force 7 – this equates to wind speeds of 19mph up to 38mph. As we all know, Guernsey is a windy island and wind speeds like these are not unknown. It is to be hoped that Condor did their research properly, and did not buy a vessel that is unsuited to operations in the Channel conditions around Guernsey and Jersey.
A. ASPINALL,
Les Traudes,
St Martin's,
GY4 6LR.
