Analysis of Islay ferry problems

Sir, The recent Islay ferry problems would never have happened if Derek MacKay, the Scottish Government transport minister, had not given the go-ahead for the Ardrossan to Campbeltown and Mallaig to Lochboisdale routes to be permanent during the 2016 summer timetable period.

At a stroke, Mr MacKay sitting in his ivory towers in Edinburgh removed the spare boat the MV Isle of Arran from the fleet and put it on the Ardrossan to Campeltown run – leaving no spare boat to cov- er any major breakdown(s) on the CalMac routes from the end of April until the end of September 2016.

This was a crazy decision by Mr MacKay but it is no longer his problem as he is now the Scottish Government’s finance minister.

If the MV Isle of Arran had still been the spare CalMac ferry then the mezzanine deck on the MV Finlaggan could have been permanently fixed at dry dock last April.

The MV Isle of Arran, which at present cannot sail if the wind is 30mph or higher, could also have had its problems fixed at dry dock during the summer timetable period.

In my opinion, the management of Serco must be delighted that it failed to be awarded the Clyde and Hebrides ferry contract as it would have been operating a ferry fleet some of which are well past their sell-by date.

Douglas W Tott, Stoneyburn, Bruichladdich, Isle of Islay.