A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to improve the island’s vital ferry services could be lost if the government fails to engage with the public and find out what is needed, according to one pressure group.

Transport watchdog TravelWatch has described as ’disappointing’ the lack of public consultation over the government’s decision to buy the company and it also said the lack of debate in Tynwald was ’surprising’.

’Just to carry on as usual behind closed doors with the existing user agreement would be a fundamental error, and TravelWatch suggests that there should be island-wide discussions on how the new arrangements should work,’ a spokesman said. The group wants a new customer services contract covering services, fares, complaint procedures, and it wants strategies to be more transparent.

Passengers themselves should be involved in drawing up the new contract, as well as reviewing it. TravelWatch further believes Tynwald should set up an official user body, which would include representation from freight users, business organisations including the Chamber of Commerce, and passenger representatives such as TravelWatch.

It said Calmac, the ferries owned by the Scottish government, already has similar arrangements.

In Tynwald, it has been made clear the government will still negotiate with the Steam Packet over a new user agreement - even though it owns the company.

Infrastructure Minister Ray Harmer said the long-term future was a matter for negotiation over the new user agreement and he refused to be drawn on any plans the government may have to replace the Ben-my-Chree when it reaches the end of its service.

But Kate Beecroft (LibVannin, Douglas South), who had asked what the strategy was for when it was time to replace the vessel, was unimpressed.

She pointed out the government was the shareholder of the Steam Packet, so to use negotiations over the user agreement to not reveal any strategy was ’smoke and mirrors’.

The former minister added: ’It is hardly likely that as shareholders of the Steam Packet Company they are going to disagree with the government about negotiating a new user agreement before the due dates.

’So they should have a strategy of what they are going to do before those dates, because they could actually alter the terms before those dates if they chose to do so.’

But Mr Harmer said the Steam Packet had to stick with the current user agreement and that, in the meantime, it was ’business as usual’ for his department.

’We will need to negotiate the new user agreement with the Steam Packet, and that we will do,’ he insisted.

The government bought the Steam Packet in a £124 million deal, becoming a 100% shareholder of its parent firm, but said it would keep the running of the company at ’arm’s length’.

Mr Harmer told Mrs Beecroft - who voted against the deal - that the future freight strategy was a matter for the Steam Packet.

’We have got to be very careful that we could end up having conversations about all sorts of things about the Steam Packet,’ he warned.

’It is the Steam Packet’s responsibility. Obviously, as part of the May Tynwald sitting we said we would have a new user agreement. At the moment the current user agreement expires in 2020, or 2026 if extended by either party.’

He said the new user agreement would be important in determining how the Ben was used, but added that recent inspections showed the Ben-my-Chree was fit for long-term continued use.

’While the new sea services agreement has yet to be agreed, as a third vessel it is highly likely that the Ben-my-Chree will remain in service for the duration of the new agreement,’ he added.

By contrast Travelwatch questions the continued use of the Manannan, asking if it should be replaced by a fast conventional all-weather vessel, to provide reliable year-round availability, and eliminate the need for the Arrow stand-by freight vessel.

It also questions spending at least £30 million on a new terminal at Liverpool, with an almost total ban on freight vehicles, with the vital freight plus cars and passengers having to travel via Heysham.

balance

According to TravelWatch, a ’framework agreement’ is needed to balance the needs of travellers and the need to return some profit for shareholders. It should minimise the chance of unnecessary government interference but should be open to regular review, it said.

Ideally, any such agreement should be overseen by a different body, such as Treasury, to avoid any conflict of interest with Infrastructure, which is also the harbours board.

TravelWatch suggest the company’s terms and conditions of carriage, which penalise those booking at short notice, are due for review and more thought could be given to boost passenger numbers.

It suggests we learn from the experience of the user agreement, which, it said, ’has served the island well’.

’We need to take on board the best features and improve where expectations may not have not been fulfilled,’ it said.

’TravelWatch believes there is scope to increase passenger numbers, and to improve communications regarding service disruption, compliments and complaints, and performance indicators.’

Keys: See page 12