Backing for call for Office for Fair Trading to investigate ferry fares

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 24th Jul 2008

Island Liberal Democrats join their mainland MP colleagues in supporting the campaign to reduce ferry fares. The Office of Fair Trading is being asked to investigate in detail the Isle of Wight ferry services to see if they provide a fair deal for Islanders.

Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate Jill Wareham said "We are happy to sign up to the submission to the OFT. The cost of getting on and off the Island has been a bone of contention for many years. As well as supporting this, we also need to seek government subsidies - ferries are a main transport link for us to and from the mainland. We also should be investigating funding streams in Europe where Islands do get help. We are very disappointed that the Council did not support their own party's campaign which would have added significant weight to the submission. We are also disappointed that the Tory administration pulled out of the European office which effectively cut the Island off from major funding streams.

"It is so important for us on the Island to put our case forward and to campaign on all fronts whether it be through the OFT or otherwise in making a case for subsidies."