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Louise Thomas

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Isle of Wight loocals say they are feel “cut off from society” with ferry return trips to the mainland costing up to £440 during peak tourist times.

Residents of the island off the south coast of England, which is also a popular tourist hotspot for Brits, are complaining about the high prices that ferry companies are charging to cross the Solent, as well as claiming that the services can be unreliable.

Some locals claim the expensive ferry tickets, which they say can cost up to £440 during busy times like Cowes Week and the Isle of Wight Festival, have a knock-on effect on their access to emergency healthcare and deter more essential services from setting up on the island.

Wightlink and Red Funnel are the two major companies that run passenger and vehicle ferry services from ports in Lymington, Southampton, and Portsmouth to the island. The longest service is around an hour long.

Isle of Wight residents told the MailOnline that fares just keep on “skyrocketing,” causing a divide between them and their families on the mainland and even prompting some to decide to move off the island.

Bronwyn Hamilton-Brown, a 62-year-old retired headteacher, set up the Facebook group Wightlink Users Group over a year and a half ago to campaign for better ferry services. It currently has over 8,000 members.

“We are in a dreadful pickle because the ferries hold us to ransom. People find it insanely difficult to get to appointments. It is an absolute scandal,” she said.

The island has limited health services, meaning many have to travel to Portsmouth or Southampton for treatment, but the Wightlink Users Group say they managed to help win a £70 cap on fares for patients and a dedicated phone line for people travelling to appointments.

Wightlink toldThe Independent that the £70 round-trip cap was implemented following discussions at its Customer Forum meetings and not just the Wightlink Users Group.

According to their website, Wightlink has capped the cost of vehicles travelling from the Isle of Wight for NHS hospital appointments to £35 per single crossing, even in peak times.

Other residents say the Isle of Wight has a recruitment issue, blaming the ferries for deterring doctors, teachers and vets from relocating there.

“I went to see a specialist in February who was offered the position here and he told me he wouldn’t accept it because it would separate him from his family,” Jackie Devonshire, 71, told the MailOnline.

“I wish I had never come here, I can’t wait to leave,” she added.

A petition was set up earlier this month by Utilita Hub manager Simon Jackson to try and raise the issue on a national level, and has already gained more than 4,000 signatures, the outlet reported.

“I have lived here for over ten years and the ferries seem to have just got worse and worse, especially in the last few months and prices are skyrocketing,” Jackson said.

Wightlink said in a statement to The Independent: "On average, an Isle of Wight customer pays around £35 for a single crossing with a car (and up to seven passengers) and 70 per cent of Islanders travel with Wightlink using a discount.

“Those travelling for NHS-funded hospital appointments benefit from 50 per cent off their crossings, which are capped at £35 each way, even in peak times. With Wightlink’s Multilink Pass, which is offered exclusively for Island residents, vehicle prices start at £27.75 per sailing.”

In a separate statement, Red Funnel told The Independent that they are “dedicated to providing reliable, punctual and affordable ferry services’ and “do not profit from service disruptions or cancellations”.

They added: “Our dynamic pricing for vehicles adjusts based on factors such as journey duration, demand, and the time of year, with the summer being the most popular time for travel. All foot passenger fares are published at fixed prices.

“Last year, over 70 per cent of bookings included some form of discount, with Island residents – who often travel during off-peak times—paying an average of 30 per cent less for car travel compared to visitors.”

Red Funnel also said they provide discounts for those with NHS medical appointments at £12.40 per person.

For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast

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