girl89 Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 Will they stop focusing it on day trippers and football fans! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tearz Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 Will someone please think of the children students! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
girl89 Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 Exactly! And those who visit families, and those who have to go on business trips etc etc etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Voice of Reason Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 Will someone please think of the children students! I'd rather not if you don't mind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tugger Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 I totally agree and would not want to but there are certain advantages and certain disadvantages on living on the Isle of Man. I often think that people are happy to accept all the advantages but continually moan about any disadvantage. My argument was taken to an extreme but to hear some people comment it is if they want to get off most weekends to shop or do other activities. Fine if they can afford to put up with the inconvenience then that is there choice. But would that leave the Island poorer with regard to shops and facilities,many may argue we are not particularly well served at present, so you get a viscous circle where those that do not choose to travel across for those services. It is an extreme apocolypit argument but I put it in to try and make people think that cheap and easy travel might not be totally beneficial. It is a bit like the big supermarkets in the UK being accused of having a negative effect on town centres as the majority decamp to shop at the new supermarket on the edge of town so many shops etc in the town centre close etc etc. Do I believe it will happen. No, but I hope that at least it is thought provoking as the majority I have read so far are concerns about the IoM steam packet hindering residents getting off the Island. There is therefore apparently a reasonable demand and I wonder what the effect might be if you took it to the extreme Surely it's a persons choice what they do at the weekend, whether they want to leave the island or not? And they should have access to user friendly, cost effective transport links, if they feel the need. I would imagine not everyone would be leaving the island on a spending spree, but maybe to visit family? You can't imprison residents on the island, just because it could be good for the economy! What sort of fare price do you think would be an acceptable method of making sure everyone stayed on-island, LostLogin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost Login Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 Not a clue. That sort of calculation is way beyond me. From my prespective there are two extremes. Firstly where it is too expensive and inconvenient to travel off the Island for Weekends. That is the case we have to an extent now for some or many judging from comments. The other extreme is that it is made cheap and easy and you then potentially risk a weely mass exodus with potential downsides. You might also get a weekly mass input of Chavs on stag nights and hen parties. I do not thing we will ever get to this extreme as it would be to expensive to operate but again I get the impression that some will never be happy unless there is a £10 return fare and ferries going back & forth to Liverpool or wherever evey couple of hours. There is a balance in between and it might cover a fare range of options but I recognise that there are downsides to living on an Island as well as benefits. The cost and frequency of travel off the Island is one downside and presently probably worse than it ought to be but it will always be a factor when living on an Island. I do not thing in the time I have lived on the Island that there have not been compliants about either the boat, the airlines or both. But as I said what those figures are is way beyond me What sort of fare price do you think would be an acceptable method of making sure everyone stayed on-island, LostLogin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Voice of Reason Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 When the page reaches 200 signatures will anyone be contacting Matthew Russel for reaction? http://www.macquarie.com.au/au/about_macqu...e/20051020a.htm Anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 The other thing that hasn't been commented on is they have reduced the number of sailings too. Until the change, there were three sailings on a Saturday from the Isle to the UK. 7AM sailing Douglas>Liverpool 8AM sailing Douglas>Heysham 7PM sailing Douglas Heysham with three coming to us 2AM Heysham>Douglas 2PM Heysham>Douglas 6PM Liverpool>Douglas (Times approximate) Now there is one sailing to and from Liverpool. So they haven't just replaced the Liverpool sailing with one Heysham sailing, they have scrapped Heysham entirely. If they had kept one to Heysham & one to Liverpool there would at least have been some choice, not to mention, back up. So Mr Woodward, do you really expect me to believe that cutting three sailings down to one is due to the weather or due to cost cutting and profit maximising? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
girl89 Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 Will someone please think of the children students! I'd rather not if you don't mind Why not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caprineus Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 Some hitherto unpublished news appeared in the News Bulletin dated November 04 on the Irish Sea Shipping web site. http://www.merseyshipping.co.uk/news/2007/11_2007/112007.htm It appears that a company known as Seaside Shipping has lodged a Petition of Doleance against the Department of Transport, effectively challenging the Steam Packet User Agreement in the Manx Courts. This seems to be a very important step forward, which we should welcome and support, since if successful it takes control away from the Manx Government. Furthermore it introduces competition in the form of a new shipping company and breaks the Steam Packet monopoly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saltire Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 Not a clue. That sort of calculation is way beyond me. From my prespective there are two extremes. Firstly where it is too expensive and inconvenient to travel off the Island for Weekends. That is the case we have to an extent now for some or many judging from comments. The other extreme is that it is made cheap and easy and you then potentially risk a weely mass exodus with potential downsides. You might also get a weekly mass input of Chavs on stag nights and hen parties. I do not thing we will ever get to this extreme as it would be to expensive to operate but again I get the impression that some will never be happy unless there is a £10 return fare and ferries going back & forth to Liverpool or wherever evey couple of hours. There is a balance in between and it might cover a fare range of options but I recognise that there are downsides to living on an Island as well as benefits. The cost and frequency of travel off the Island is one downside and presently probably worse than it ought to be but it will always be a factor when living on an Island. I do not thing in the time I have lived on the Island that there have not been compliants about either the boat, the airlines or both. But as I said what those figures are is way beyond me What sort of fare price do you think would be an acceptable method of making sure everyone stayed on-island, LostLogin? I think that people would pay reasonable fares to use the ferries, if they feel they are getting good value, whether that be facilities on the boat, customer service etc. Although it has to be said their vehicle fares could be a bit cheaper! However what isn't good PR, is for the ferry company to cut services (no matter how small a cut), and then say that is what the customers want when it clearly isn't. Regarding visitors to the island, there seems to be this Manx thinking that if someone from the UK had the option of a cheap fare, they must be some sort of chav or undesirable coming to wreak havoc on the island. Now no one wants undesirable people lurking about their neighbourhood causing trouble in their town, but I think you may be surprised at who decided to visit the island given the chance of a competitive fare. And any visitors are obviously going to contribute to the island economy while visiting. And as for masses of chavs visiting, I think to be honest it would be too much bother for them to organise! Look at cheap flights like Ryanair or Easyjet. I have used both to various destinations, and you tend to find it is just normal members of the public taking advantage of cheap flights to go on a break they might not otherwise had bothered with. So maybe cheaper fares would benefit the island and visitors alike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 Some hitherto unpublished news appeared in the News Bulletin dated November 04 on the Irish Sea Shipping web site. http://www.merseyshipping.co.uk/news/2007/11_2007/112007.htm It appears that a company known as Seaside Shipping has lodged a Petition of Doleance against the Department of Transport, effectively challenging the Steam Packet User Agreement in the Manx Courts. This seems to be a very important step forward, which we should welcome and support, since if successful it takes control away from the Manx Government. Furthermore it introduces competition in the form of a new shipping company and breaks the Steam Packet monopoly. This is confirmed in the CHANCERY PETITIONS 2007 list. The only references to Seaside Shipping that seem to come up are for a dutch registered company of the same name. However, that could be meaningless, because you could pick any name for a company over here not necessarily reflecting the true owners, and getting people digging in all the wrong places. It will be interesting to see how this one pans out. If the petition were to be successful, then possibly other interested party's might start appearing. I see the petition has now hit 1731 signatures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempus Fugit Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 Exactly! And those who visit families, and those who have to go on business trips etc etc etc... and those who want to take their dogs on a 1 or 2 day trip (they go free on the SSC !) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost Login Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 I think that people would pay reasonable fares to use the ferries, if they feel they are getting good value, whether that be facilities on the boat, customer service etc. Although it has to be said their vehicle fares could be a bit cheaper! But what is reasonable? However what isn't good PR, is for the ferry company to cut services (no matter how small a cut), and then say that is what the customers want when it clearly isn't. I have no doubts that the Steam Packet probably have results of a survey from last year where passengers replied that they wanted reliability over the winter as the top priority. Alot of boats last winter were cancelled due to bad weather and i am sure a lot of pissed of passengers filing in forms when they had been cancelled or delayed would have happily ticked the box. They are probably strictly quite right therefore in what they say but obviously the questionnaire probably did not say better reliability but this service level. Wether it is not what passengers do not want then probably yes that maybe right but we have no idea how many if any actually agree with the steam packet amd how many commmenting and petitioning are actual winter users Regarding visitors to the island, there seems to be this Manx thinking that if someone from the UK had the option of a cheap fare, they must be some sort of chav or undesirable coming to wreak havoc on the island. Now no one wants undesirable people lurking about their neighbourhood causing trouble in their town, but I think you may be surprised at who decided to visit the island given the chance of a competitive fare. And any visitors are obviously going to contribute to the island economy while visiting. And as for masses of chavs visiting, I think to be honest it would be too much bother for them to organise! I have no real idea on this point but places get a reputaion as good places for Stag & Hen weekends and once that happens it depends on your point of view whether it is a good or bad thing. Temple Bar in Dublin in the mid 90's got so pissed off with Hen & Stag parties from the UK that they were banned from all pubs. Look at cheap flights like Ryanair or Easyjet. I have used both to various destinations, and you tend to find it is just normal members of the public taking advantage of cheap flights to go on a break they might not otherwise had bothered with. So maybe cheaper fares would benefit the island and visitors alike. I agree I am trying not to sat Cheap fares are not good, they clearly are to us the public. I am just trying to raise the idea that cheap fares and frequent service might not be quite the utopia that I get the feeling some people think it would be if only it was possible. Yes it might be the best thing since sliced bread for the Island but equally there are potential negatives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatshaft Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 Regarding visitors to the island, there seems to be this Manx thinking that if someone from the UK had the option of a cheap fare, they must be some sort of chav or undesirable coming to wreak havoc on the island. Now no one wants undesirable people lurking about their neighbourhood causing trouble in their town, but I think you may be surprised at who decided to visit the island given the chance of a competitive fare. And any visitors are obviously going to contribute to the island economy while visiting. And as for masses of chavs visiting, I think to be honest it would be too much bother for them to organise! I have no real idea on this point but places get a reputaion as good places for Stag & Hen weekends and once that happens it depends on your point of view whether it is a good or bad thing. Temple Bar in Dublin in the mid 90's got so pissed off with Hen & Stag parties from the UK that they were banned from all pubs. First - Congratulations on quoting then replying and not vice-versa - 'tis the future Second - Do you really think many are going to come to the IoM for a stag do, almost non-existent nightclubs or "adult" entertainemt, poor weather and expensive hotels, when they can hop on Easyjet or Rynair and head for a weekend in the sun, or Prague, or Amsterdam? Not going to happen. Third - Chav influx, now be serious, most of them can't tie their shoelaces, they're not going to head for a sleepy hollow like the Isle of Man when they can rampage through Manchester now are they? To the young 'uns, IoM = boredom central. The type who will come to the island if it's made more accessible, are your string back driving gloves and purple rinse brigade in the main. Not my cup of tea like, but surely also not ones that will cause you any offence? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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