Arran’s economic recovery hampered by ferry service

The Arran Recovery Group says the island’s recovery is being impacted by a continuing deterioration in the level of service provided by the ferry.

It says the problem is that CalMac/CMAL does not have the capital or labour to provide its contracted service. In addition and by design, there is a lack a commercial problem-solving and customer service ethos, with no measurements of the impact on the communities it services.

The ARG report states: ‘Arran’s recovery is impacted by a continuing deterioration in the level of service. This is manifest in lost revenue, reduced quality of life, increased cost, depopulation and inability to attract new residents. Redeployment of existing ferry capacity has meant this year is worse than last year.’

The ARG says the issue must be immediately highlighted to senior levels of government and says this has started, with approaches to Marc Crothall and Frances Pacitti, HIE and governmental organisations.

The group also says it needs support from North Ayrshire Council to keep the Fraser of Allander Institute economic impact study alive and provide analytical data on non-economic issues. That report found that the failure to deliver the MV Glen Sannox in time was having a £170,000-a-day economic impact on the island. In addition, the ARG says, progress has to be made on a feasibility study into providing additional passenger capacity. In the medium term it is also demanding a ministerial review of the current situation and the creation of a resilience plan, that is in the public domain and shows how to resolve/mitigate these issues.

A spokesman said: ‘ARG will seek an urgent meeting with the transport minister as soon as he/she is appointed after the election.’