Chief minister demands improvements from DFDS

Chief Minister of Jersey Deputy Lyndon Farnham says the government has demanded clarity from DFDS

Jersey's chief minister says DFDS' service for the island has "fallen short" of what was promised and is demanding an "improved delivery".

Deputy Lyndon Farnham made the remarks in a response to a letter from the Jersey Hospitality Association (JHA), which accused the government of not taking the visitor economy and hospitality industry seriously.

On Tuesday, DFDS announced the fast ferry service from Poole to Jersey would be temporarily paused from November until the end of April while unveiling its winter schedule.

The BBC has contacted DFDS for comment. Route director Chris Parker previously apologised and said it was focusing on "delivering a long-term sustainable service for Jersey".

In its letter to Farnham, the JHA said frustration among its members was "growing rapidly" with the service being offered.

'Lack of understanding'

It added what had been promised when DFDS took over as the island's main ferry service provider in March "did not align" with what had been delivered.

JHA chair Malcolm Lewis said confidence in the government's decision to award DFDS a 20-year contract - and the standard of the service - was falling.

Mr Lewis added the fast ferry to Poole was the "single most important route" for the island, but he felt it had been sacrificed for other routes with smaller demand.

"As I have said before, there appears to be a concerning lack of understanding within the government of our island's dire need for diverse economic growth," he said.

DFDS said on Tuesday its winter schedule would not include a fast ferry service from Jersey to Poole

Responding to the letter, Farnham said the government was treating the situation urgently.

He added: "We have escalated our concerns to DFDS at the highest level and are demanding immediate clarity and improved delivery."

He said the government would work to ensure Visit Jersey had the support it needed to deliver "high impact" marketing to help it compete in a challenging market.

"The visitor economy is a vital part of Jersey's broader economic landscape," the chief minister said.

"We remain fully committed to supporting the industry and will continue to work to ensure that transport links, affordability, and destination marketing are of a high standard."

Mr Parker previously said the decision would "disappoint" some travellers

DFDS route director Mr Parker previously said: "We understand that this decision will impact islanders and disappoint some travellers, and we are sorry about the inconvenience this will cause.

"We are focusing on delivering a long-term sustainable service for Jersey, including investment in future tonnage for the island."

Mr Parker added there was a "huge difference between peak summer and off peak".

"Looking at the likely demand, we know that Stena Vinga can more than handle the demand," he added.

"So, it really is about putting together a sustainable service for the long term. It's about making sure we use the vessels in a sensible way."

He said the company understood the decision would disappoint customers, but the winter schedule had been "designed to meet demand while delivering a dependable service".