Condor must accept responsibility for failings

On 15 July 2014 Deputy Luxon said, 'Condor's proposed new vessel should provide islanders with a greatly improved travel experience, in terms of ride and comfort and reliability...'

'Importantly, the vessel will enhance visitors' experience of travelling to the islands, which is a real plus point for Guernsey's tourism sectors.' (Wow – that worked out then.)

Deputy Luxon was then offered the position of Condor's CEO on 15 December 2014 (just five months later). This does raise the question whether the new CEO will feel able to criticise and change Condor's past mistakes, as he was party to agreeing them.

It is imperative that Condor accept their past mistakes in cutting back two fast ferries to just one unreliable fast ferry and cutting back three UK ports to two ports, with a consequential reduction in the number of sailings. These cutbacks (while undoubtedly saving Condor costs) have resulted in a huge loss of money to our tourism sector due to large reductions in sea visitors to Guernsey.

We need to see Condor's management show a new acceptance of their responsibility for these problems and recognition that their reductions in service have cost Guernsey (and Jersey) a considerable amount of lost revenue.

Our new States should demand that a third UK ferry be reintroduced immediately.

It is to be hoped that the new Condor CEO will show his loyalty is to the Channel Islands and agree to this obvious solution.

Name and address withheld.

Editor's footnote: Paul Luxon, Condor's chief executive officer, responds: When I joined Condor on 1 May 2016, almost two years after relinquishing my role as chair of Guernsey's External Transport Group, work immediately began on the Comprehensive Service Review. Published later this year, it will use independent data, market research and extensive consultation to reach evidence-based conclusions. With the benefit of all the available information, solutions are rarely as simple or 'obvious' as they might first appear.

However, we have been listening to our customers and islanders and will continue to do so.

I share the loyal determination of all my Condor colleagues to offer the best possible ferry service to all of our customers, whether that is continuing our year-round freight timely delivery of food and other essential goods to our islands, or continuing the improvements to punctuality and reliability of our passenger service.

But your reader need not only take my word for it: last year world-leading naval architects Houlder confirmed the suitability of Condor Liberation and earlier this year a report from the Jersey harbour master concluded that Condor has consistently acted as a prudent operator.

We know our service hasn't been perfect over the last year, ferry operators the world over face natural and technical challenges every day, but we continue to bring hundreds of thousands of happy visitors to our islands and remain huge net contributors to the island economies through the payment of millions of pounds in harbour dues, employing scores of local people and supporting dozens of charity and community groups each year.

Please feel free to question whether our service is yet at the constant level which our passengers desire and to which we aspire, but please do not question our absolute determination or our loyalty to the Channel Islands, to its communities or to the tourists the islands attract every year.

The shareholders, board, management and all colleagues are united in driving on with our improvement plans. Condor Ferries has served the islands for 52 years, investing hundreds of millions of pounds in the fleet and shore operations, we are all dedicated to delivering a ferry service the islands can be proud of.