People’s views not heard
Sir,
It was great to see the determined peaceful protest of some 40 Arran pensioner ladies in persistent rain reported on the front page of The Arran Banner last week, alongside the fuller report of the visit of the new Scottish transport minister Mr Graeme Dey.
The ladies came to personally voice their concerns over the difficulties they were experiencing due to the continuing Arran ferry issues.
As reported, unfortunately the ladies were snubbed by the minister as he attended the organised IoAFC meeting via the back door of the Ormidale Pavilion.
Considering all the ferry dramas Arran residents have all been experiencing over the past 18 months or so of the Covid-19 pandemic, surely the greater Arran public should have been given greater access to put their current ferry concerns to Mr Dey and the several NAC, Transport Scotland and Scottish government officials who accompanied him, albeit socially distanced?
In that regard it is pertinent to note the quote given by the chairman of IoAFC in the January 8 2021 issue of The Arran Banner.
This quote was made about one month after the multi-MSP Scottish government enquiry report of the RECC into the reasons behind the cost and build schedule overruns of the Glen Sannox project at the Ferguson shipyard, the famous ‘catastrophic failure’ report.
Viz: ‘IoAFC will continue to voice views from the community and work with all parties to ensure from this calamitous episode, lessons are learned and we can finally receive the levels of service and capacity which we have not enjoyed for some time.’
I have to say that there was not much evidence apparent on the occasion of Mr Dey’s visit of ‘views from the community’ being heard or ‘working with all parties’ or past ‘lessons being learned’.
Rather, the treatment of these retired Arran ladies seems typical of the IoAFC. Will that change going forward?
Yours,
John Ford, Lochranza.
CMAL has agreed to commission a study to look at impacts of easterly winds, waves and swell at Brodick. This will include the possible construction of a breakwater. The move was suggested in a letter to the transport minister Graeme Dey from the Arran Ferry Action Group. Here is his reply.
Sirs,
Thank you for your letter dated September 13 2021 on behalf of the Arran Ferry Action Group (AFAG) regarding the mis-alignment of Brodick pier and the direct impact of this on the resilience of ferry services to Arran.
I am aware that Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) has already communicated with AFAG on the design of the new Brodick pier therefore I will not go over this, but will re-affirm the position that the berth orientation was the optimum solution delivered at Brodick.
You have outlined that the best solution to address this mis-alignment would be for CMAL to construct a breakwater to the east giving protection to moored vessels from the North East to South East wind-generated sea swells.
The breakwater being constructed from dumped rock rubble and concrete tetrapod blocks as illustrated in the sketches attached to your correspondence at an estimated cost of around £10million. CMAL has confirmed that it is commissioning a study of the impacts of easterly winds/waves/swell at Brodick.
The study will look to analyse the conditions that lead to cancellations informed by various data sets such as wind, wave and weather as well as obtaining input from vessel masters from CalMac Ferries Ltd (CFL); with the objective being to identify all potential solutions and/or mitigation measures that can be implemented including the construction of a breakwater as suggested.
CMAL expect to commence the data gathering exercise and study during winter 2021/22 and will feedback to Transport Scotland who will fully consider any recommendations as a result of the study.
I thank AFAG for its suggestion. Following receipt of your letter I took the opportunity to discuss any issues around berthing, with the vessel master myself, whilst travelling to Arran on my recent visit.
Yours,
Graeme Dey, Minister for Transport, Scottish Government.