Cross-Solent foot passenger ferry service resumes sailings

Wightlink has resumed its FastCat foot passenger sailings between Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde Pier Head on Thursday.

It will be an hourly service with two catamarans operating on school holiday weekends and during the Isle of Wight Festival.

Wightlink’s car ferry summer timetable will come into effect on 17 May 2021, in line with the next proposed Government easing of Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Hotels, restaurants and attractions will open for business on both sides of the Solent from that date.

Sailings on the Portsmouth-Fishbourne car ferry route will be retimed to depart every 40 minutes between 0500 and 1940 to even out traffic flow and improve punctuality.

The Lymington-Yarmouth route will step up to hourly seven days a week.

Wightlink said bookings for the school holidays are looking healthy, especially for weekend sailings.

Chief Executive Keith Greenfield said: "With summer on the horizon, we are delighted to step up our sailings and look forward to welcoming more islanders and mainlanders who want to travel across the Solent.

"The Isle of Wight will be a popular choice for staycations and we will remain Covid-secure at all times with the highest standards of cleanliness.

"Mask wearing is still required and our passenger numbers are currently reduced to allow social distancing, but our ships and FastCats are spacious and comfortable with plenty of room.

"All of our usual cafés at ports and on board ferries are now open to serve refreshments but we ask customers to consume food and drink outdoors.

"We know it’s been a long wait for our regular FastCat customers and we thank them for their patience.

"We are delighted that we can now reinstate our Portsmouth-Ryde service as demand for leisure travel starts to increase.

"Our ticket acceptance agreement with Hovertravel will continue until 30 April, as previously announced."