Alderney will not get a subsidised ferry service to Guernsey after the island’s latest tender process failed to find a provider that met the committee’s criteria. The decision leaves the route in private hands and means passengers will face higher fares.

Stuart Clark said the committee had not come to the decision lightly, but that public money could only be committed when the bid met both quantitative and qualitative tests. He said the committee was not satisfied the tender criteria were met well enough to warrant subsidy, and added that he remained confident competition in the market would keep the two islands connected.

The issue matters now because the tender was meant to secure a subsidised seasonal inter-island service, and its failure changes the cost of travel immediately. Alderney Ferry Services said it had not been awarded the subsidy and would raise fares by £15 per person, including children, after saying the States’ support had helped keep ticket prices at a reduced rate.

That leaves a clear divide between the committee’s view and the operator’s. The committee said it could not award public funds because the applicants did not meet its criteria, but it also said independent operators continue to serve the route without a subsidy from the States. Alderney Ferry Services said it would keep running the vital sea link, but warned that even a small increase can affect the decision to travel.

The unanswered question is what specific tender requirements were not met. For now, the Economic Development Committee says it will keep looking at options for providers in future, while passengers on the Alderney-Guernsey route adjust to a more expensive crossing.