George to Transport Secretary – “Islanders cannot be left without winter boat service!”
Isles of Scilly MP, Andrew George, has appealed to Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander MP, to step in to ensure Isles of Scilly residents are not “cut off” this winter. Off-islands (especially St Agnes and St Martins) will lose their lifeline service to the main island, St Marys at the end of this month, and will not recommence till next March.
The last remaining winter boat service operator, St Agnes Boating, has announced it can no longer operate during winter months. It had made the decision to close the company altogether, but has been persuaded to maintain a summer service by its staff during its redundancy negotiations. This will leave off-islanders living on St Agnes and St Martins with no service, affecting children getting to secondary school, those needing transport to health appointments, to get to basic services and conduct normal life.
Mr George has previously warned government ministers about the seriousness and vulnerability of lifeline transport services between Scillonian islands, including at a House of Commons debate he called on 17th March this year Isles of Scilly/ Transport – House of Commons . He said, “Islanders feared this would happen. I’ve previously warned Ministers about the risk of market failure and the consequences for the islands. In other circumstances government would step in. I wrote to the Transport Secretary again last month pointing out this unfairness; mainland bus services operate with subsidised £2 per journey bus fares in contrast to the £80 per journey cost for the Isles of Scilly equivalent during winter months. We feared this was unsustainable and now the operator of this lifeline service to two of the islands has admitted he can no longer keep going.
“The Council is already in discussion with officials in the Department for Transport about this crisis. I am in communication with them and have asked Transport ministers to step in to support this service this winter to allow time to find a longer-term sustainable solution.”
Mr George has been in contact with the operating company, St Agnes Boating, which is run by Island Councillor, John Peacock