Calls grow for state to run P&O Ferries amid fresh safety concerns over vessels
P&O Ferries should be taken into public ownership if a “fit and proper” operator cannot be found quickly, the TUC said as fresh safety
concerns were raised over another of the company’s vessels.
A P&O ferry on the Dover to Calais route remained detained yesterday after “additional deficiencies” were found during a reinspection.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said there were issues with safety systems and crew documentation for the Pride of Kent.
With the Pride of Britain also held in Dover, the TUC claimed there were “significant concerns” about P&O’s ability to operate safely.
The union’s plea comes after the company sacked 800 seafarers last month and replaced them with agency crew paid as little as £5.50 an hour.
It attempted to justify the move by claiming it was suffering losses of £100million a year.
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Image:
PA)
Since then most of P&O Ferries’ services have been suspended, which is likely to pile further financial pressure on the firm, in addition to the £36million cost of a redundancy package for the dismissed workers.
Disruption to its services has caused backlogs in freight deliveries.
The TUC said there is a “clear precedent” for the Government stepping in to keep vital services running. It pointed to the rail industry, where the Department for Transport stepped in to run intercity passenger services on the East Coast Mainline on two separate occasions.
TUC boss Frances O’Grady said: “If P&O can’t operate safely and without breaking redundancy law and hiring agency workers on a pittance, it hasn’t got a viable business model.
“The Government must be prepared to step in and take over P&O’s freight and passenger services if a fit and proper operator cannot be found quickly. This has happened before in other sectors and would bring much-needed stability.”
P&O Ferries said: “We take the safety of passengers and crew very seriously and look forward to all our ships welcoming tourist passengers and freight customers again as soon as all mandatory safety tests have been passed.”
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