FERRY company Red Funnel has performed a U-turn after angry commuters found they could not buy season tickets for the company's Red Triangle car park at the firm's Town Quay terminal in Southampton.

Instead, fed-up commuters who travel between the Isle of Wight and the mainland were told by the company that they could only buy their car parking season tickets from a company based in Chippenham in Wiltshire and payment for the tickets could not be taken by cheque at the terminal.

Not only were commuters unable to buy their tickets from the company's ferry terminal base at Town Quay - but the new firm responsible for issuing season tickets is currently not able to take credit card payments.

Now Red Funnel has changed tack and has promised that commuters can once again get their season tickets issued at Red Funnel's Town Quay terminal.

The new system was introduced from April 1 this year. Season tickets for the Red Triangle, which cost from £75 a month up to £800 per year ,were due to be issued by Chippenham-based Apoca Parking UK Ltd.

But when commuters attempted to renew their season tickets over the phone and pay by credit card, they were told by Apoca that the firm could not accept that method of payment.

One angry commuter, who did not want to be named, travels daily from his home on the Isle of Wight to Southampton and back.

He said: "It was absolutely ridiculous. Red Funnel replaced a convenient system with a system which seemed to be designed to cause commuters maximum annoyance."

Apoca contracts manager Marc Redstone admitted there had been a delay in installing a credit card payment system for the season tickets but it would be up and running by the end of April.

Red Funnel marketing manager Olive Glass said Apoca had been contracted to run the car park so a better service could be given to customers.

She added arrangements were now in place so customers could pay for their season tickets by cheque, cash or credit card at the Town Quay terminal.