Fury following ferry ‘chaos’

The summer ferry ‘chaos’ has already cost Outer Hebrides tourism £6 million, with the figure ‘spiralling’ higher as disruption continues, an islands tourism group claims.

Chairman Ian Fordham of Outer Hebrides Tourism has called on CalMac to recompense island businesses for their losses. The group said it ‘sees no end to the critical issues caused by the continued unreliability of ferries to these islands as we end the season as it began – with disruption’.

Mr Fordham added: ‘Four months on at the end of that summer season, a third instance of cancelled and rescheduled ferries again causes tourists to cancel their holidays, leaving accommodation and activities providers with late cancellations. The economic cost is spiralling upwards causing critical concerns about the future of tourism businesses in the Outer Hebrides.’

Labour in the Western Isles has demanded an urgent statement from transport minister Michael Matheson MSP on the ‘current shambles’.