Corran Ferry madness

We do need an equivalent of HPMAs. We don’t need those companies who are over-exploiting the sea to be bleating about how hard done by they are.

Joanne should direct her demands for more information about compensation and a just transition to the Scottish Government. Cabinet secretary Mairi McAllan understands the need. The SNP just need to satisfy it.

Councillor Willis should not have been expected to cover all this in a letter to the Oban Times; she simply made valid and constructive points about what is possible with the correct policies. HPMAs as currently advertised are not right. The consultation process should provide useful adjustment.

Dennis Archer, Oban.

I refer to your report in Lochaber Times May 11 of the Highland Council (HC) meeting to discuss the replacement options for the Corran Ferry and to the very sensible letter from Andrew Green in that issue on the same subject.

Firstly, I cannot believe those responsible for the debacle should now be trusted to put in place plans to ensure an effective, sustainable lifeline ferry service for our vulnerable communities, and when I read the proposals for a single electric vessel plus the major infrastructure necessary for an electric vessel (estimated cost £52 million and a timetable of five to seven years), it only confirmed my worst fears about the abject stupidity.

At the recent open meeting in Strontian which was attended by senior HC staff, there was widespread support for the purchase of one diesel vessel, similar to the current, MV Corran, deliverable in about 18 months, which, when in service, could be backed by the MV Corran. This is estimated to come in at a total cost of about £15m, saving the public purse about £37m. In the meantime, the MV Corran would cover the main vessel role, supported by the 48-year-old Maid of Glencoul for the next 18 months.

The hare-brained proposals from those at HC who are responsible for the present situation will mean that the communities would be left vulnerable to repeats of the present crisis for a period of about five years instead of 18 months and it is very questionable whether the Maid of Glencoul would be capable of service for that long, so the risk of service failure is even greater than before.

When questioned about the stupidity of their choice of electric vessels, the HC executives defended their position by claiming that it is driven by financial considerations as “there is money available for green projects”. Meanwhile, the affected communities cannot afford the luxury of “green virtue signalling” and when we make choices they need to be based on real world economic considerations. In the real world, a £37m saving coupled with three to four years less of exposure to service failure makes perfect sense. But perfect sense or not, the communities have NOT been listened to, contrary to HC claims.

There are businesses which are bleeding to death and residents suffering all sorts of health threatening issues because of HC incompetence, but there is not a hint of preparedness to listen to these people. The perpetrators just put their fingers in their ears and declare they know best.

Andrew Green put forward the common sense solution which is favoured by the vast majority of people who live and do business in these communities, and as he so aptly concluded: “What an absolute disgrace – heads should roll.”