Wightlink Ferries has received conditional planning permission from Isle of Wight councillors for improvements to port facilities at the company’s Fishbourne car ferry terminal. Work will begin in the autumn to install a new double deck boarding ramp to enable vehicles to embark and disembark more quickly and quietly.
These works at Fishbourne are an integral part of Wightlink’s £45million Investing for the Future programme. The investment safeguards the jobs of 143 Islanders who work for Wightlink. The project also includes improvements to the terminal facilities at Portsmouth Gunwharf, which received unanimous planning approval from Portsmouth City Council last month, and the introduction of a new ship which will be the most environmentally friendly ferry ever to sail the Solent.
“This is good news for Wightlink, our customers and the Isle of Wight,” says Interim Chief Executive John Burrows. “When our improvements are complete and our new ship comes into service in 2018 we will be able to operate our services at Fishbourne more efficiently with quieter loading and unloading, reduced traffic congestion and more capacity when people want to travel.”
Wightlink expects to announce more details about the project, including the new ship, in the coming weeks.
