People are right to complain
Sir,
In response to Mr Shand’s letter in last week’s Banner, I find his remarks that recently arrived residents “should have carried out more research and maybe should have remained on the mainland” and that for islanders “all journeys should be carefully planned”, highly offensive and patronising. Does he think we are all ejits?
Whilst most people accept the current ongoing problems with our ageing, lifeline ferries are not the fault of local CalMac staff - that responsibility lies fairly and squarely with CMAL and ultimately Transport Scotland - perhaps CalMac could look at some of their practices and be more transparent.
For example, when asked recently for details of the criteria for “bumping” people off from their booking, no answer was given. Also, when asked could they flag up a resident’s long-standing booking for a hospital appointment to avoid said booking being cancelled - it was claimed this was not possible. This creates an unnecessary level of anxiety.
I know there is supposed to be a protocol in place for emergency hospital appointments but it’s not clear whether this applies to long-standing bookings. It seems some people are not aware of how it works and are still encountering problems.
The notion that people who choose to live on an island should shut up and put up with whatever is an attitude that is not fit for today’s world.
Everyone understands bad weather can affect ferries but it’s gone beyond that now and it’s unacceptable this situation has been allowed to develop over many years. Surely people have the right to complain about something that is manmade as a result of persistent mismanagement? Also, everyone acknowledges the value of tourism to local businesses but there is seldom recognition of the contribution residents make to the local economy. We live here 365 days of the year. We shop on the island, use local tradesmen, eat in Arran cafes, donate raffle prizes, bake cakes for events and support local halls. Plus, one thing no-one ever factors into the local economy and the visitor experience is the volunteering that goes on, including rangers and gardeners at Brodick Castle, museum, toilets, various village improvement projects and events. Without the good will of many islanders, Arran would be worse off and less attractive to visitors. I am not a newcomer - been here nearly 18 years - if that counts for anything. Yours,
Marilyn Woods,
Shiskine.