“IS it fit for purpose?” is the question hanging over Condor’s Liberation ferry after the service was interrupted once again this week.

Sailings on the high speed ferry were cancelled yesterday due to an engine fault. The £50m Liberation had also been running on “reduced power”on Monday following a problem with its fuel pump. Sailings were set to resume today - but some were cancelled due to 'ongoing maintenance work'. 

The company said: "However, as some work will continue during the sailing, the ship will operate at reduced power at various times during the journey.  Condor Liberation will therefore operate to an amended schedule, with the 3.45 and 4.25pm sailings from Guernsey cancelled."

The Poole journey arriving at Guernsey at 12.15pm will now arrive at 1.15pm; the trip to Jersey arriving at 1.45pm will now arrive at 3.15pm; and the journey from Guernsey to Jersey at 12.45pm will sail at 2pm.

Guernsey passengers returning to Poole, due to sail at 4.25pm, will sail at 2pm, arriving at 8.45pm. Passengers returning to Poole from Jersey, due to depart at 2.45pm, will now be sailing at 4.15pm.

A Condor spokesperson said services would be operating as normal tomorrow.

The news has seen Jersey resident Claire Lawrence, of Saint Helier, launch an online petition calling for services to change.

In the post she writes: "We have literally become prisoners in our little group of Islands. We are restricted to one sailing a day now, with no other choices or options.

"Prices have increased dramatically. A day trip between Islands is almost impossible to find. For those of us in the 'not so rich' bracket, costs are a major issue.

"We want to be able to visit friends/family in the other Islands without taking out a mortgage to pay for it, and we want to be able to have a choice of sailings, not be restricted to one sailing a day."

The 102-metre long trimaran has been beset by problems from its early days when it began sailing between Poole and the Channel Islands in March last year.

After electrical problems, bad weather and the ferry striking the quay at St Peter Port when berthing in strong winds, complaints of long waits, poor and conflicting information, the company issued an open letter of apology to customers in April.

In May an independent review, funded by the ferry company, was announced into the “suitability and performance” of Condor Liberation.

It reported in October that the fast ferry was safe and stable, well suited to operating in the Channel Islands and performing well.

Service cancellations arose in September, October and November due to faults and repairs, and bad weather saw sailings cancelled in November and twice in December.

Sailings were again cancelled at the beginning of this year following storm damage to the Liberation when it was docked at Poole. The ferry then was put into dry dock earlier than planned, and stayed there until February half term.

She was detained in Poole for three days in mid March after a routine inspection by the MCA and French Affaires Maritime Port State Control revealed 11 deficiencies leaving the ship unsafe for passengers - including four which were grounds for the ship’s detention.

Confidence fell so low that authorities in the Channel Islands even asked Condor to consider chartering a ‘back-up’ ship over the Easter holidays.

More delays came in April when routine maintenance on the Liberation overran.

Passengers caught up in the latest cancellations were offered alternative services and those due to make day trips were offered a refund or an alternative date to travel.

But patience is wearing thin and the ongoing problems have left many increasingly critical of Condor.

Comments on the Echo website yesterday included: “ What an unreliable piece of junk, best thing to do with this is scrap it ASAP.”

Another added: “It’s one problem after another, why not just tow it out to sea and sink it to make an artificial reef?”

Former Poole council leader Cllr Elaine Atkinson told the Echo: “I think Condor needs to have an honest open look at why services have been cancelled and ask ‘is it fit for purpose?’

“I don’t think the service should be dammed because there are hiccups - but does it mean this unreliability is going to continue? The weather on the south coast is not going to change.”

She said Condor needed to “take a look at their service and the drop in public confidence” and have “discussions with the local council and the port of Poole.”

A spokesman for Condor said the Liberation will sail today to an amended schedule. Ongoing work means the ship will operate at reduced power at various times during the journey.

Condor Ferries had not responded to our request for a comment when the Echo went to press.