Inter-Island Passenger Boat Service Operator - Isles of Scilly

The Council of the Isles of Scilly invites qualified and appropriately licensed passenger boat operators to provide winter inter-island commuter services connecting St Martin's and St Agnes to St Mary's for the 2026/27 season. Service Purpose: This essential service supports Council-facilitated and concessionary travel during winter months when commercial services are limited, including: • Early Years and home-to-school transport • Children and young people's activity travel • Adult social care journeys • Council-supported concessionary fares • Employment-related travel for teachers and school staff • General community access to essential services on St Mary's Funding and Timeline: Department for Transport emergency funding supports this interim service for the winter period only (October 2026 to 31 March 2027). An optional academic year extension (April to July 2027) will cover education-related travel only until the end of the school year. From April 2027, normal commercial summer timetables resume. Key Opportunity: Beyond maintaining essential connectivity, this contract provides the Council with critical operational data on passenger demand, service utilization, reliability, and costs to inform long-term sustainable inter-island transport solutions. Responsibilities: Successful operators must demonstrate experience with passenger boat services, appropriate licensing, reliability, and ability to manage both subsidized and commercial passenger journeys within a challenging winter operating environment.