Unintended consequences of new ferry terminal
There has, naturally, been a lot of talk about the new Brodick ferry terminal but, love it or loathe it, it is here to stay. The Arran Civic Trust, in its role concerning amenity on the island, here takes a look at the unintended consequences of the design of the £30 million facility. These observations are intended to be constructive in the hope of aiding beneficial change.
There is dissatisfaction with the new terminal and how it is operated at present. Some are directly ferry-related, some transport hub-related. Others are parking-related and one or two convenience-related. It is important that these matters are looked at in the interest of travellers.
The issue is, what is a lifeline ferry now? Departing and arriving on Arran has always been a community experience – meeting and greeting, saying farewell, watching the boat dock, seeing friends on the boat as it docked and waving. Part of the amenity of Arran. We are not an airport, but an island community.
Terminal-related
No seats in booking hall for anyone, including those who may be waiting for a wheelchair, or for another family member trying to park a car somewhere. This needs to be changed as the design of the terminal does not cater for this.
Difficulty meeting someone off the ferry upstairs to assist with bags, children etc.
The fire alarm went off on Thursday at the ‘tea party’ after the opening… what would have happened if there were wheelchairs or disabled individuals upstairs when use of the lifts is not advised?
There must be a plan to assist if the ferry cannot latch onto the walkway. Descending the steep emergency stairs is unsatisfactory, especially for those less mobile or carrying larger wheelie bags. Recently passengers had to climb up the two flights onto the ferry via the car deck, after descending the emergency stairs.
The stairs up to the waiting room are steep, so that descent is precarious, as was shown on Thursday after a fire alarm. The stair edges need coloured strips.
An additional bannister running down the centre position on stairs would give passengers added confidence and something to cling onto.
Are the toilets on the ground floor (two in the ladies, one so close to the sink it will surely not last long) out of bounds to bus passengers if the booking hall is out of bounds to them?
The passenger connecting ‘tube’ is not a comfortable experience and having only one person off the ferry at a time is surely a design error. It is a long way to walk, with bags. Does CalMac intend to have a minibus to carry those who need it onto the upper car deck? What about heavy bags? In an airport, bags are sent separately to the plane.
Suggestion: a passenger survey be done soon, which should discover the flaws in the whole process for passengers, especially those without a car. This can be taken to CMAL to obviate similar mistakes at Ardrossan with the intended new terminal.
Ferry-related
Do ferry times need to be changed to cope with the new reality? That will involve SPT.
Are the stats being collected correctly about disruption and are weather-related cancellations ever used as a cover up for other docking problems? Why does the AIS not show Caledonian Isles sometimes, as happened recently?
Would it be sensible to suggest that CMAL
Transport hub-related
The previous terminal acted as a transport hub for those waiting for the ferry, whether going or collecting new arrivals. Often departing passengers get a car lift from their home to the ferry long before the ferry is due. Are they expected to stand outside in the rain and wind when, previously, they could sit quietly in the terminal building for up to two hours, especially if the ferry was delayed or cancelled? That opportunity has gone, yet that was so much part of the charm of Arran.
Perhaps the old ferry terminal could be opened as a transport hub. Islanders met friends while waiting or departing; it was a community hub.
It also acted as a hub for bus passengers. The fact that people waiting for buses are now told they cannot wait in the new ferry building must be changed and seats provided. If they arrive having bought a coffee at Copperwheats, they should be allowed to drink it in the entrance hall. The name needs to be changed to ‘Hub Hall’.
Collecting passengers
Why can they not wait upstairs to meet friends and family? The collection of tickets must change to enable this. Seeing friends off from the island is also part of the collective way of caring on Arran, the last goodbye, the hug. Preventing the intimacy of departure shows a lack of the emotional intelligence of the design.
We are now into lighter evenings but CalMac must think ahead to dark, wet nights and the management of visitors and locals alike.
Parking
One of the problem areas is parking. Now that many islanders cannot get their cars easily on and off the ferry, especially at weekends, increasing numbers are leaving their cars between the Douglas and the Co-op. Second home owners also now leave their second cars there when they are off island, often for weeks at a time. This needs to be managed. Where is additional parking coming from? Is parking outside the terminal to be ticketed and, if so, how? Do we need a bye-law along the front in Brodick too?
Car booking needs to be more efficient. Apparently, doctors will be able to get a car onto the ferry at short notice but advice is that booking should be made weeks in advance.
As soon as RET made booking difficult for cars particularly, the wealthy were able to afford to book multiple tickets knowing some will be redundant but retain a guaranteed place. This should be prevented.
Posting a letter at the post box at the old ferry terminal recently, a postman remarked that the box used to be half full, now just a few letters. Does that mean removal of the amenity? It surely must be moved and placed near the new terminal, the obvious place.
Does RET have flaws? What is the philosophy of a lifeline ferry? Has it now changed and placed the needs of islanders below that of tourism? These observations have been sent to Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL), Caledonian MacBrayne and the Isle of Arran Ferry Committee.