Member

The company is caught between a rock and a hard place. It cannot electrify its fleet because the grid cannot support it; it has invested in hybrid technology and seeks to do more yet is, in effect, penalised for doing the right thing. The only practical remedy is to exempt these essential UK ferry services from the emissions trading system. If Scotland can do it for its island routes, and Portugal can do it for Madeira—a distance of some 600 miles—England can and should do likewise for the Isle of Wight and Northern Ireland. Such an exemption would protect the economy of the Isle of Wight, support its residents and prevent yet another cost being imposed on companies and individuals by this Government since their election in 2024.