Labour MSP says that ferry services need urgent improvement

18th May 2021

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant has written to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport to demand that the Scottish Government urgently step in and fix the ferries crisis currently hammering the Scottish Islands.

Mrs Grant, who has been a long term critic of the Scottish Government's mismanagement and lack of investment in the ferry network detailed the ongoing numerous issues faced by islanders in their lifeline services.

She wrote that Calmac: "Is currently missing two new ferries which it had hoped to have in place and which are currently in Ferguson's Shipyard. The Loch Seaforth has now been out of commission for a number of months and it’s return to service date keeps getting pushed back, as further faults and issues are found. The Isle of Lewis, which also broke down, over the weekend has been pulled from its route to Barra."

"Covid has required that capacity on the already stretched ferries be seriously reduced, for example removing use of mezzanine decks.

“We are now in peak summer season. Tourists from across the UK are trying to flee to the islands, choking the services and preventing island residents from being able to travel themselves -often for medical appointments or to reach sick or injured relatives on the mainland or on other islands. Supplies are frequently running low with many of the islands reporting shortages in supermarkets and delays to deliveries.

“Everyone has been very patient with the situation but it is at crisis point and requires immediate Government intervention."

In her letter, Mrs Grant suggested that the Scottish Government assign priority spaces for island residents, for both compassionate and medical grounds, and bring in an available vessel from the North of Scotland to help supplement the beleaguered fleet until the very overdue new vessels currently in drydock were launched.

She said: “It is abundantly clear that Scottish islanders are not receiving the lifeline service to which they are entitled and that this situation needs addressed urgently.”

Mrs Grant also requested a meeting with the CalMac Managing Director in order to identify required improvements to the service given to island communities.

Ahead of the meeting she said, “Operationally Calmac is a fantastic service and has gone above and beyond for island communities. But there is a massive disconnect with the strategic planning and investment, which can only be identified as, at best, Scottish Government showing apathy for Scotland’s islands and at worst wilful disdain.

“For years communities have been telling the SNP that their ferry network is not fit for purpose and needs investment, but of course ministers who rarely, if ever, leave the central belt think they know best. They have utterly ignored the needs-based cases put forward by island Leaders; And so here the mess has come home to roost.

“Breakdowns have been getting more frequent, the ferries are becoming steadily less reliable or less available to those who truly need them. If Scottish Government think that this is just going to go away with some wishful thinking and crossed fingers then they are is for a shock.”