Gozo Channel fares

I would like to bring to your attention my complaint regarding an exaggerated fare that I was charged for my van and trailer on the Gozo Channel ferry.

I boarded the Ta' Pinu ferry that left Mgarr for Cirkewwa at about 5.15 p.m. on Sunday, August 18. I was driving my van (Mazda Bongo) and I was towing a trailer with a speedboat on it. The overall length of the van and trailer is less than 12 metres, as also confirmed by the Gozo Channel employees who sold me the boarding tickets.

I was charged Lm27 (excluding the driver and passenger). This is the fare usually charged for commercial trailers/vehicles. I cannot understand why my towed trailer with speedboat was considered as a commercial vehicle. On the same ferry I had three other vehicles driven by my family members as follows: Ford Cortina Mark III Station Wagon (4.47 metres). Mazda 626 (4.06 metres) and VW Golf (4.06 metres). The van and trailer took less space than these three vehicles together, but the fare was Lm27 as compared to the Lm12 (excluding drivers) for the three vehicles. Furthermore, when boarding the ferry from Cirkewwa, there was no notice on the rates that we would be charged on our way back to Malta.

Hence I would appreciate if you would refund me with the surcharged amount and also if you would inform your sales employees of this case so that this does not happen again. My ticket number was 009189. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require further details. (Silvio Camilleri)

Some letters were exchanged and here follows an explanation:

Further to our letter of October 3 regarding your complaint, once again, we regret our delay in answering your original letter.

The charge levied on you for your car and trailer was correct. The fares are not fixed by the company, but by the relevant authorities in accordance with regulations as published by Legal Notice in the Government Gazette from time to time. In this case the tariff falls under Regulation No. 3, Second Schedule (Para 9) of LN 22 of 1997, Public Authority Act (Cap. 332) entitled "Gozo Mail and Passenger Services (Fares) (Amendment) Regulations 1997 which specifies:

"Towed trailer up to five meters shall pay Lm5. When length exceeds five meters payment shall be based on length overall of vehicle and towed trailer ..."

In your case, as the towed trailer exceeds five meters, the tariff should be based on the overall length of vehicle and trailer. As the overall length was over 10 metres but less than 12, the correct fee is Lm27.

While I hope that the above clarifies the issue, please do not hesitate to contact us should you require further information. (Marvic Fenech Adami)

While thanking Mr Fenech Adami I trust this clarifies the issue. However on the outward trip (i.e. from Malta to Gozo) it would be a good idea to place a notice on the rates that customers would be charged on their way back to Malta, as Mr Camilleri suggested.