The Isles of Scilly Steamship Group has started work on the first stage of a plan to improve the experience of passengers travelling on Scillonian III.

The group has installed a temporary shelter on Penzance Quay and reopened a closed shelter, to help protect passengers against the elements. The temporary shelter, made of converted containers, is in place for the remainder of the 2017 season to make the customer experience on Penzance Quay as comfortable as possible for those travelling on board the Scillonian to the Isles of Scilly.

The quay itself is a Grade II-listed structure, which means there are restrictions on what construction work can be done and limiting the potential for building on the site. The old passenger shelter, which has been used as a storeroom for some time, has also re-opened.

The steamship group has installed the temporary structure to create a short-term passenger waiting area, to ensure comfort and ease of travel for its passengers during the last few days of the 2017 sailing season, while team members are working on a longer-term solution for next year.

Mark Howarth, the new managing director of the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, said: “It is one of my priorities to improve the travelling experience for our passengers. This first initiative is one we identified as a quick-fix temporary solution.

“We are limited by the historic listed structure of Penzance Quay, so we are prohibited from erecting anything permanent. However, my team has worked very hard to put up the temporary shelter in record time, and to clear out and reopen the old shelter on the harbour wall. We are working hard with Cornwall Council and other stakeholders to progress to a much-improved permanent solution for the future. We are also working on other initiatives at the moment to improve the customer experience for people travelling by both sea and air.”