No one good enough for Alderney PSO...

Friday 22 March 2019

Economic Development have decided not one of four bidders are good enough to be able to deliver sustainable PSO services to Alderney to the "required standard and in the required timeframe".

The Committee have been running a tender process since the start of October last year, appealing for people and companies to come forward with plans to run passenger services from Guernsey to Alderney, and from Alderney to Southampton. The Guernsey PSO also required medevac capabilities, as well as the transport of post and medicines.

This was all part of a plan to make the Alderney route more economically sustainable, and the specifications were designed in partnership with officers from other relevant Committees, and the States of Alderney.

Deputy Charles Parkinson's Economic Development Committee have confirmed that they received four bids for the PSOs, one of which was from Aurigny, who previously told Express that they wanted to be awarded the tender so they could operate their new, more sustainable, plans. But now ED have said it will work on an alternative specification that will seek to "attract responses that can better meet the air connectivity needs of Alderney".

Aurigny have previously said they wanted to be awarded the PSO. They had developed new 'sustainable' plans to fly to and from the island, to replace their current unsustainable set up.  

A spokesperson for Economic Development said: "In December 2018, the Committee was pleased to receive four bids for the ITT. However, after careful consideration of the bids and follow up exchanges with bidders as appropriate, while all bids had their merits, none of the bidders has convincingly demonstrated that it is able to fully deliver sustainable PSO services to the required standard and in the required timeframe.

"As a result, the Committee cannot appoint a preferred bidder and has closed this tender process."

The ew specification should be released with the market at the "earliest opportunity", and also before the end of July this year. The new aim will be to implement that PSO solution as soon as possible next year. 

To develop these new specifications, ED will work closely with the States of Alderney and other committees involved. What these new specifications might develop is yet to be seen, but other than Aurigny, the other three bidders are not known to the public. 

"The Committee is grateful for the responses received, wishes to thank bidders for the time and effort which they have put in to responding to this ITT, and hopes that they will engage with the next ITT when it is published," the spokesperson added. 

Pictured top: Alderney Airport.