Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what information they hold on the (1) frequency, (2) cost, and (3) reliability, of cross-Solent ferry services for each of the last five years.

The Department for Transport, alongside the Isle of Wight Council, monitors the performance of the cross-Solent ferry operators. The operators frequently publish their own data on reliability of their services, which the Department reviews. The frequency and cost of their services can also be seen from their publicly accessible timetables.

The Department’s analysis has consistently found that the three cross-Solent operators offer a good range of services at effective prices, including for those travelling for NHS treatments on the mainland. During the pandemic, a key reason behind the Department providing financial support to safeguard lifeline services was to ensure that residents could continue to travel for mainland NHS treatment. An example of effective services for those needing urgent medical treatment on the mainland can be found with Hovertravel’s rapid NHS transfer. This service, established during the lifeline support scheme alongside the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service and the Isle of Wight NHS Trust, continues to support those needing medical care on the Mainland.