Max Power

Apologies, I edited my post as you were posting. If you look at the table in the Which report, all those companies come out ahead of the SPCo in the customer surveys.

John, I'm a fan of the SPCo, but I was horrified at the price of a return Seacat sailing to Liverpool, which I was forced to buy. I couldn't wait a week and travel at a different time, although I did book three weeks in advance...£134! Same week, Hull Rotterdam, 10 hour trip with cabin, £255 return. Both as a foot passenger and the P&O ferry is like a mini liner, entertainment, nice choice of dining options, as I know you are aware of being a regular traveller. I understand the limitations of operating on short journeys, but the SPCo is our lifeline, we need reliable travel at a respectable price.

'Which' Magazine has just completed a survey of UK ferry companies, in the domestic league table, IOMSPCo are a distant last place. Ferries to the Isle of Man Isle of Man Steam Packet Until the Steam Packet started in 1830, the Isle of Man could be cut off for weeks. You’d think the world’s oldest continually operating ferry service would be a treasured public service. But the Isle of Man government-owned route is the worst rated of any domestic route. Long-suffering islanders complain about poor facilities, too many cancellations and ‘sky-rocketing prices’. Plans to improve reliability by making staff sleep on board (to ‘respond more flexibly to bad weather’) and firing those who refuse, provoked a union dispute. https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/ferries/article/best-and-worst-ferries-for-2024-aZBMl6S5heSv

I believe there are regulations covering operators, but he is just a driver apparently. I suppose if he had broken driving regulations it would be a different matter?

I'm not sure if this is embargoed but there was a lot of concern for a young girl from Ballaugh having gone missing a couple of days ago, and all sorts of speculation has followed. Now there appears to be nothing, has she been found safe and well, or is she still missing?

That ghastly sinking feeling you get when someone announces: "The children have written a little play for us, and now they’d like to perform it, so can everyone come into the living room please," is exactly what you get when you think of a Comin roadshow!

Thanks Roger, I think you're right. I should research more before I post!

Well, things are different in these enlightened times. I was thinking of starting a similar thread about the guy who had a credit card type blade going onto the boat, but was picked up in the search area. He was carrying it unknowingly as he was an outdoors person and used it for his job or whatever. Instead of just confiscating it, he finds himself in court, with all that entails, and ended up with 12 months probation! I imagine an armed response unit were called, pinned him down at gunpoint and he missed his ferry?? https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/probation-for-man-caught-with-knife-at-sea-terminal/

Chairman of RTLC and the taxi union and federation speak out.... https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/rtlc-defends-taxi-tariff-changes/

Oh deary me, another permanent bombsite in the offing?

That's probably a conspiracy theory though, why would they want to decimate the taxi industry, I can't think of a reason, the late buses are busy anyway? Why did nobody appear to complain about the 11pm uplift when the proposed changes were put out for comments?

I think it gives the taxi drivers discretion to charge less, this is only the maximum fare. They were all asked if they wanted the fares raised if you read the notification, the majority of respondents said yes, many didn't bother to respond by the looks of it. It's not happened behind their backs so why are they complaining, it's been done to help them rather than anything else, I'm sure they would be moaning if they hadn't had an inflation increase? It says pre booked cabs can have a negotiated fare, surely that's ideal for everyone, not on the meter.

No, it's determined by what locals spend in the Manx economy. So a share is given back.

The IoM collects VAT and fuel duty, amongst other things, on behalf of HMRC, the island gets a VAT rebate in return.