Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner calls for mayors to have planning powers over ferries
PCC Donna Jones called for the English Devolution Bill to be extended to cover ferries
Hampshire and Isle of Wight's Police and Crime Commissioner is calling for the expansion of the English Devolution Bill to cover ferries to allow mayors more powers.
The English Devolution Bill is currently being proposed by the government to cover railways, meaning mayors would have more powers.
PCC Donna Jones wants this Bill to extend to include ferries and give mayors powers over planning, performance, improvement, and project management in their local areas.
She said: "That piece of water creates a lot of problems for the Isle of Wight.
"In terms of their supply chain, their skills market, things are a lot more expensive on the Isle of Wight.
"One of the things I'm really pleased about in the English Devolution Bill and the proposal is the government looking through the Great British Railway Bill that's coming forward to give mayors greater powers around planning, performance, improvement, project management of rail networks in their area.
"I would argue that should be extended to ferries, particularly in my area, because the Isle of Wight we have three main transporters, we have Wightlink, Red Funnel, are the two car ferries and foot passenger ferries, and also Hovertravel, which is a hovercraft which runs up until 6:30pm everyday.
"But it's cost-prohibitive for a lot of people who want to travel off the island, who live there, and back.
"I will be asking for the right to request a regulator power over those ferry companies who are going to be operating or do operate across the Solent, as that piece of water because of course they need Crown permission to be able to do that."
The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill aims to widen and deepen devolution across England, providing mayors with powers to deliver growth in local areas.
Red Funnel sent us a statement in response to the PCC's calls.
Fran Collins, CEO at Red Funnel, said: “We are proud to work with several different authorities but welcome the proposal to establish a Mayoral Combined County Authority.
"We are supportive of the principles behind it and the benefits it will bring.
"Ferry services are the lifeline transport service for the Isle of Wight community and we believe for the approach to be truly integrated, it must include ferry services alongside rail, road, bus and active travel, and we look forward to discussing this further with candidates.”
Wightlink said they wouldn't be commenting at this time but said that they were always open to meetings with councillors and PCC Donna Jones.
We have reached out to Hovertravel for a reply.