Council calling for action over disruption to ferries

Calls for the Scottish Government to intervene in the ongoing ferry disruption saga are being made by Western Isles Council.

The chairman of the council’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee wants Transport Minister Humza Yousaf to address concerns after a period of unprecedented disruption to ferry services across the Clyde and Hebrides network.

Boats in the aging CalMac ferry fleet have been moved around onto different routes as a result of breakdowns and services to many islands reduced as a result.

Cllr Uisdean Robertson said: “I have personally been inundated over the last several weeks by complaints. The nonavailability of a single vessel, the MV Clansman, has had wide-ranging implications across the network. I have received complaints from many members of the public and businesses in the Western Isles and I am aware the implications have been felt in other communities elsewhere in the network.

“The lack of resilience and of suitable spare capacity in the fleet is unacceptable and must be dealt with by the minister as a matter of urgency. We and colleagues in Hitrans and other affected local authorities have made several strong representations to Transport Scotland and CalMac management over the last several weeks but we seem to be getting nowhere.”

A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “As always in situations like this, CalMac will explore all options available to them.”

He added: “Our recently published Vessel Replacement and Deployment Plan shows how existing, planned and prospective vessels could be deployed across the Clyde and Hebrides network to deliver the commitments set out in the Scottish Ferries Plan, and better address forecast demand.

“Future vessel provision on the Clyde and Hebrides ferry service network will be based on the conclusions set out in the report and the affordability of those proposals.”

“CalMac will explore all the available options”