More than 60% of the public favour a seasonal fast craft service, during the daytime, to Liverpool over a year round conventional ferry service.

The figure was revealed in the Ferry Service Survey report published by the Department of Infrastructure.

The report was conducted by the DoI to seek residents' and businesses' priorities for the new user agreement with the Steam Packet.

It was agreed by Tynwald that a new agreement was needed after the government purchased the company earlier this year.

Question 19 asked if people would prefer: ’An approximately two and a half hour journey, seven months of the year, with departures during daylight hours.

’An approximately three and a half to four hour journey on a conventional ferry, all year round, but with one overnight departure.’

Of the 4,862 responses, 2,970 (61.1%) said they wanted the fast craft service, 1,617 (33.3%) said they preferred the year round conventional ferry, while 275 did not answer the question.

For more details on the report, see Tuesday December 4’s Examiner.