Those of you looking to travel to Alderney this year with the sea breeze in your hair will be happy to hear that The Little Ferry Company has had its subsidy renewed.
The island's Policy & Finance Committee has renewed its subsidy at the same level as last year, but there's a condition attached to that payment.
That is that if a new vessel or significant changes are proposed for the Guernsey-Alderney ferry service, P&F will take a fresh look.
It arose out of the fact that The Little Ferry Company is considering using a larger vessel for the Guernsey-Alderney route but this would raise marine licensing issues, according to the Surface Transport Action Group which reported to P&F.
Despite many cancellations due to adverse weather conditions last summer, the Little Ferry transported 2,169 passengers from Guernsey to Alderney and a similar number from Alderney to Guernsey between the end of May and end of September. Almost 60% of passengers using the service were visitors to the island.
P&F Members also called for an integrated transport policy and have asked civil servants and transport action groups to begin the groundwork.
The Committee was told that a larger vessel might be able to operate on both an inter- island and a cross-channel basis but there are a number of difficulties facing such a proposal, such as operational regulations for international waters, demand uncertainty and Harbour infrastructure.
Pictured top: The Little Ferry.
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