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The Herald Scotland
10-06-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Islanders facing financial ruin over ferry cancellations
In recent years, the route has been plagued by disruption, with Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop holding 'crisis' talks with island business groups earlier this year. The Lord of the Isles – referred to as LOTI by locals - is a 36-year-old vessel which had only returned to the South Uist route in mid-May after it was taken to service other struggling routes. Islanders were given the MV Isle of Mull, the second oldest ship in the fleet, as a replacement – but it was restricted to 45 passengers per trip. In 2023, islanders protested after a month-long cancellation. Karen MacAulay, owner of the Lochboisdale Hotel, told The Herald repeated disruption is leading to a 'debilitating' pressure on locals. Since the ferry was cancelled earlier this week, she has lost at least 10 bookings and will lose more if the ferry is not returned by Friday. 'Trying to run a business here is difficult anyway, so living on the edge is natural,' she told The Herald. 'We've gone from 14 rooms booked out of a total of 15 and it went down to four. We're losing thousands upon thousands of pounds every year. 'It seems that if any ferry breaks down in the fleet, they take the LOTI. The ferry has become so unreliable that people won't book onto it. Read more: 'We haven't got a replacement so for this full week, we're having to phone people. We don't charge for cancellations when it comes to the ferries – if we did, I'd be a millionaire. So we have lost a whole week's worth of work. 'It's mentally debilitating. Year upon year it is just getting worse. Now I am just at the stage where I want to give up. 'We are fighting a losing battle. The crisis is now. We can't afford to pay bills or staff. It's absolutely horrendous. It's taken a mental toll on not just me but everybody in the community. 'We need help but in Lochboisdale they just forget about us.' The Lord of the Isles vessel is one of four ships beyond running beyond the expected operational life, alongside the Isle of Arran, Mull and the Caledonian Isles, while two other vessels – Isle of Lewis and Clansman – are approaching the end of their expected time. Last month, CalMac was awarded a £3.9 billion contract to run the west coast services for the next 10 years. However, Torcuil Crichton, the Labour MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, condemned the decision, warning the firm's 'resilience' was gone. Read more: Speaking to The Herald, he said: 'People are tearing their hair out in frustration. It's affecting confidence on the islands, and its affecting commercial and tourism confidence in the islands. 'On one end hotels are facing large scale losses and on the other end B&Bs face cancellations that can add up to a months mortgage payment, or more. 'It's feeding into people's decision whether to live or leave the island. It's really serious. 'Business owners are eating into their own funds – they're going into debt – in the hope that things will get better. It is an awful situation to be in.' Service information provided to travellers by CalMac said: 'Due to mechanical damage on MV Lord of the Isles that has resulted in water ingress into a void tank, this service has been cancelled.' The vessel is being repaired in Kennacraig, near the Clyde – almost 150 miles away from Lochboisdale. Dependin on the outcome of repairs it could back in operation on Thursday or Friday – but islanders said they have been told it could be out of service for another week. There are no direct replacements, however an island-hopping alternative has been provided on the MV Loch Alainn, sailing from Barra and Eriskay to connect with the MV Isle of Lewis on the Castlebrae service. CalMac and Transport Scotland have been asked for comment.
The Herald Scotland
30-04-2025
- General
- The Herald Scotland
CalMac: Why do islanders continue to be angry over ferries?
South Uist has been particularly badly hit by a shortage of vessels on lifeline ferry routes and has been served by 37-year-old veteran MV Isle of Mull which is restricted to just 45 passengers since the start of the year ,while its regular ship - MV Lord of the Isles covers elsewhere. For several years South Uist has regularly been the victim of cuts due to ferry breakdowns and delays in annual maintenance which climaxed in losing their service completely for nearly the whole of June, 2023. What is the concern on South Uist? Residents said they feel "forgotten, abandoned, and ignored" due to repeated ferry cancellations over recent years. In June 2023, CalMac rerouted the MV Lord of the Isles, leaving South Uist without direct sailings to the mainland for nearly the entire month. This followed a four-week suspension between April and May and led to a major protest involving an estimated 500 residents. The disruptions have led to business losses and concerns about population decline as some residents consider relocating. The current concern is that MV Lord of the Isles has been lost yet again to cover for problems elsewhere at a time when it was thought CalMac had rethought its strategy. What causes these frequent service disruptions? The primary issue is the ageing ferry fleet, caused by a lack of investment in the ferries which continues to hit services, as the state-owned ferry operator CalMac looks to juggle its resources to cover what are lifeline services as best it can. Four years ago, more than half of Scotland's lifeline ferry network was operating outwith its working life expectancy - being over 25 year old. MV Isle of Cumbrae (Image: Newsquest) The oldest in the CalMac fleet is is the Isle of Cumbrae which is now 23 years past its working life expectancy at 44-year-old. The MV Lord of the Isles, serving South Uist, is itself over 30 years old and has experienced multiple mechanical failures, including corroded steel, radar faults, and engine issues. Such problems necessitate extended repairs, during which no replacement vessels are available due to fleet limitations. How do these disruptions impact the local economy? Local businesses, especially those dependent on tourism and ferry traffic, suffer significant losses during service outages. For instance, a food takeaway near the Lochboisdale ferry terminal on South Uist reported losing hundreds of pounds per sailing, leading to reduced staff hours and cancelled tourist bookings. Read more from Martin Williams: What is being done to address the ferry service issues? The Scottish Government pledged £580 million over five years to improve ferry services, including procuring new vessels. However, delays in constructing new ferries, such as Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa at the state-owned Ferguson Marine shipyard, have hindered progress. The Glen Sannox finally commenced service in early 2025, with the Glen Rosa expected by September 2025, although there are worries it may not be available till next year. Additionally, new ferries like the MV Isle of Islay and MV Loch Indaal are planned to enhance service reliability. A contract has also been awarded for the construction of seven new electric battery-powered vessels for smaller routes. How are the ferry services paid for? CalMac, under a contract awarded by Transport Scotland, gets subsidies to cover operational costs not met by fare revenues. The current £975m eight-year Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) contract expires in September 2024. While passengers pay fares to use ferry services, they typically cover only a portion of the operating costs. CalMac (Image: PA) The subsidies are in place because some ferry routes are not commercially viable due to low passenger volumes and high operating costs. Subsidies ensure that island communities remain connected to the mainland, supporting local economies and access to essential services. Last year it was announced that ferry fears would increase by 10% from this year to allow the continued support of the ferries network in future years. How are new ferries paid for? The Scottish Government, or the taxpayer provides capital funding for new ferries via Transport Scotland. This funding is often channelled through "voted loans" to a separate state-owned company, Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited, which owns the ferries, ports, harbours and infrastructure. While funding mechanisms are in place, critics say challenges in procurement and project management have highlighted the need for ongoing oversight and reform.
The Herald Scotland
30-04-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
CalMac under fire from 'sack board' island protest group over ferries
South Uist has been particularly badly hit by a shortage of vessels on lifeline ferry routes and has been served by 37-year-old veteran MV Isle of Mull which is restricted to just 45 passengers since the start of the year ,while its regular ship - MV Lord of the Isles covers elsewhere. But despite a "crisis summit" called by an island business group attended by transport secretary Fiona Hyslop over two weeks ago and in advance of the May Day bank holiday, they say there has been no movement in dealing with an immediate lack of service. For several years South Uist has regularly been the victim of cuts due to ferry breakdowns and delays in annual maintenance which climaxed in losing their service completely for nearly the whole of June, 2023. It drew the short straw because it is felt according to the way CalMac runs its lifeline service disruption management, that the least number of people will be affected if their allocated vessel, MV Lord of the Isles, is withdrawn to help out elsewhere. And John Daniel Peteranna of the South Uist Business Impact Group (SUBIG) which started the protest said: "We are still penalised for living in Uist. " Video: Flashback to the South Uist ferry protest of the summer of 2023. CalMac said that they are investigating options for improvement to the service. Concerns had previously emerged that there has been a failure to conduct island communities' impact assessments or consult over the method used to decide how services are axed due to breakdowns of Scotland's ageing ferry fleet in breach of the Scottish Government's ground-breaking Islands (Scotland) Act made law in 2018. The catalyst for action over the management system came when an estimated 500 residents, 200 cars, 40 vans and 20 lorries converged on Lochboisdale – the port which links South Uist to the mainland – two years ago to protest about the cancellations. Then CalMac chief executive Robbie Drummond then made a series of what some called "PR visits" to the island where apologies were made and actions explained. One South Uist public meeting attended by some 250 "unanimously" lodged a vote of no confidence in the ferry company angry at the island's treatment. Islanders were told by the former transport minister Kevin Stewart, three days before he resigned his position the same summer that he had ordered a review into the 'matrix' methodology used to deal with ferry shortages to ensure that it takes into account "the actual economic impacts to the islands". It was expected to ensure that South Uist did not become the default option for cuts. But the South Uist Business Impact Group which started the protest and called for the summit do not believe that it has made any difference. The MV Lord of the Isles continues to be used as a relief vessel for other islands while the 32-year-old MV Caledonian Isles has been out of service since the start of January last year, the MV Hebridean Isles had to be retired and other vessels have had problems identified during winter overhauls. While concerns continue about a lack of spare capacity for emergencies, it was suggested that South Uist swap boats so that it gets the regular Colonsay ship MV Clansman for just one day to help make up for the losses. But the group say that so far there has been no response from CalMac. Mr Peteranna of the impact group, who previously called for boardroom heads to roll at CalMac over the way services were being handled said: "The visits back then have changed nothing. "Now, the minister has told CalMac that they need to find a solution. We have been told yes, yes and yes. But again nothing has changed. "We are not asking for anything that isn't reasonable." He said that MV Clansman, which can carry 638 passengers and 90 cars, has at least a once-a-day services to Colonsay, which, according to the 202 Scottish Island Survey has a population of 104. The resident population of South Uist is over ten times that at1442. The current timetable for services to Colonsay shows there is a daily return service to and from the mainland on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday and two return journeys service on a Wednesday and Saturday. "They are ignoring us," said Mr Peteranna. "We don't see that there is any disruption from doing this. But they don't appear to be listening to options while May and June are the busiest months. MV Finlaggan (Image: CalMac) Meanwhile, the group say that while MV Finlaggan has been delayed in dry dock, it means that the reduced capacity service provided by MV Isle of Mull will be extended well into the peak holiday season at a vital time for island businesses. Read more from Martin Williams: They have now written to CalMac asking again that they now put in place an increase in capacity between Lochboisdale and Oban, pointing out that it "should not be one island that suffers all the time". Ms Hyslop had said there was a longer-term solution with funding earmarked for another new large ferry to serve the Western Isles. She said money was allocated in the 2025/26 budget to replace the ageing MV Lord of the Isles, which serves South Uist, within "about three years". MV Lord of the Isles, which normally sails from Lochboisdale on South Uist to the mainland port of Mallaig, is currently serving other routes and will not return until mid-May. MV Isle of Mull is instead sailing from the island to Oban, but a fault with its emergency evacuation chutes means it is only permitted to carry 45 passengers instead of the 900 it can normally accommodate. The Scottish government also announced a £4.4m "resilience fund" targeted" at island communities worst affected by disruption but that South Uist would "definitely benefit". During the 1980s and 90s CalMac would typically purchase a new ship every few years but since 2007 the procurement role has been taken on by a separate state-owned company, Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited, which owns the ferries, ports, harbours and infrastructure. MV Glen Sannox (Image: Jane Barlow) Problems over the construction of two new gas-powered ferries Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa ordered in 2015 contributed to a slowdown in ferry replacement - and much of CalMac's large ship fleet is now beyond its expected operational life. A CalMac spokeswoman said: 'At the summit on South Uist, we made a commitment to review what we could to improve the current service, and we stand by that. We've been investigating options, some of which were made at the summit, in the context of wider network deployments and dependent on vessel moves,as major units departed and entered their overhaul period. 'This means considering things like vessel and port interface and displaced traffic on other routes, and it takes time to work through possible options. We expect to provide a formal update on what's possible later this week. 'The delay to the delivery of MV Isle of Islay, whilst due to events outside of anyone's control, is having a real knock-on effect on our vessel deployment. Were she in service, one of MV Isle of Arran or MV Lord of the Isles – which usually serves South Uist – would be free to deploy elsewhere. 'We made a commitment to bring SUBIG into the Western Isles Ferry Group and they have already attended the most recent meeting. 'In the meantime, the South Uist community will be updated on our progress, and we hope to offer ways in which we can ease the constraints on their service as soon as possible.' A Transport Scotland spokesman said: 'We understand the impact that delays and disruption have regrettably had on our island communities and this government fully recognises the key role ferry services play in supporting the economic, social and cultural development of island communities. 'Alongside CalMac, we continue to monitor the situation closely, particularly in terms of the impact on those island communities most affected and will continue to constructively engage with islanders to ensure we deliver a sustainable ferry service that is fit for the future. 'Ministers and officials continue to support and impress upon CalMac to ensure all available options are being explored to return the vessels to service and support our island economies. Scotland's island communities face distinct challenges, not least in terms of their economic and social resilience, which is why this Government has identified an initial £4.4 million to establish a resilience fund to support island businesses, with a view to targeting areas and sectors of most acute need.'
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Minister to attend 'crisis' meeting on Uist ferries
Scotland's transport secretary, Fiona Hyslop, is to attend a "crisis" meeting later, called by islanders on South Uist over disruption to ferry services. The direct route to the mainland from the second largest island in the Outer Hebrides is currently served by a ship restricted to carrying just 45 passengers. A business group said the island's economy had been suffering from years of unreliable ferry services due to lack of investment. On the eve of the meeting, the Scottish government announced it was creating a £4.4m resilience fund to help islanders during the current difficulties. 'Exceptional' pressures force CalMac fleet reshuffle CalMac cuts passenger numbers over safety failure South Uist has been under particular pressure recently as state-owned ferry operator CalMac struggles with a shortage of ships while it awaits replacements for its ageing fleet. Winter maintenance has uncovered new problems with several vessels, forcing CalMac to rejig its schedules and move ferries onto different routes. MV Lord of the Isles, which normally sails between Lochboisdale on South Uist and the mainland port of Mallaig, is deployed elsewhere until mid-May. A replacement vessel, MV Isle of Mull, although designed to carry 900 passengers is currently restricted to just 45 - the number that can fit in the traditional lifeboats. This is because of a fault with its emergency evacuation chute system. Instead of sailing to Mallaig, it travels to Oban, 85 miles away from the normal scheduled port, which adds more than four hours to the crossing time. John Daniel Peteranna, from the South Uist Business Group which is hosting what it calls a "ferry crisis summit", said the island's economic potential in areas like seafood, distilleries and tourism was being stifled. He said businesses had suffered five years of reputational damage due to unreliable transport links to the mainland. "When we set up the business group three years ago we didn't think things could get any worse but they have surprised us," he told BBC Scotland News. The meeting will be attended by local MSPs as well as representatives from CalMac, although the operator's chief executive and chairman will not be present. The business group will be asking for more details on the resilience funding and whether more can be done to improve services until the return of Lord of the Isles in May. It will be also be seeking an update on plans to replace the 36-year-old vessel and upgrade the harbour facilities at Lochboisdale. The Scottish government said it was working out eligibility criteria for the resilience funding, and this would be discussed at the meeting. Islands Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: "We know that the current situation of delays and ongoing maintenance to some vessels has created real difficulties for some. "We are determined to do everything we can to support islands, their local businesses and employers through these challenging times." CalMac said it had put on extra sailings from South Uist to Barra, which offers an alternative route to Oban on the mainland. The firm's chief operating officer Diane Burke will attend the meeting. A spokesperson said: "We recognise the current challenges with our major vessel fleet has led to disruption on a number or routes, particularly on South Uist. "We've been in regular contact with local representatives throughout this period of disruption to ensure the community is kept informed about the service." Two ageing vessels MV Hebrides and MV Caledonian are currently undergoing repairs, while MV Hebridean Isles was retired from service late last year. Ferries procurement body CMAL is awaiting the arrival of the first of four new CalMac ferries being built in Turkey, but these are delayed and the first vessel MV Isle of Islay is not expected until later this summer. The long-delayed MV Glen Sannox, built by the Ferguson Marine shipyard, is now in service on the Arran route but its sister ship MV Glen Rosa is still under construction and a new update on its delivery is awaited. CMAL said the redevelopment of Lochboisdale and the replacement of MV Lord of the Isles were both dependent on funding approval by Transport Scotland. 'Island ferry problems meant my child could not travel' 'Exceptional' pressures force CalMac fleet reshuffle CalMac cuts passenger numbers over safety failure
BBC News
14-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Minister to attend meeting over South Uist ferry 'crisis'
Scotland's transport secretary, Fiona Hyslop, is to attend a "crisis" meeting later, called by islanders on South Uist over disruption to ferry direct route to the mainland from the second largest island in the Outer Hebrides is currently served by a ship restricted to carrying just 45 passengers. A business group said the island's economy had been suffering from years of unreliable ferry services due to lack of investment. On the eve of the meeting, the Scottish government announced it was creating a £4.4m resilience fund to help islanders during the current difficulties. South Uist has been under particular pressure recently as state-owned ferry operator CalMac struggles with a shortage of ships while it awaits replacements for its ageing fleet. Winter maintenance has uncovered new problems with several vessels, forcing CalMac to rejig its schedules and move ferries onto different routes. MV Lord of the Isles, which normally sails between Lochboisdale on South Uist and the mainland port of Mallaig, is deployed elsewhere until mid-May. A replacement vessel, MV Isle of Mull, although designed to carry 900 passengers is currently restricted to just 45 - the number that can fit in the traditional lifeboats. This is because of a fault with its emergency evacuation chute system. Instead of sailing to Mallaig, it travels to Oban, 85 miles away from the normal scheduled port, which adds more than four hours to the crossing time. John Daniel Peteranna, from the South Uist Business Group which is hosting what it calls a "ferry crisis summit", said the island's economic potential in areas like seafood, distilleries and tourism was being stifled. He said businesses had suffered five years of reputational damage due to unreliable transport links to the mainland. "When we set up the business group three years ago we didn't think things could get any worse but they have surprised us," he told BBC Scotland News. The meeting will be attended by local MSPs as well as representatives from CalMac, although the operator's chief executive and chairman will not be business group will be asking for more details on the resilience funding and whether more can be done to improve services until the return of Lord of the Isles in will be also be seeking an update on plans to replace the 36-year-old vessel and upgrade the harbour facilities at Lochboisdale. The Scottish government said it was working out eligibility criteria for the resilience funding, and this would be discussed at the Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: "We know that the current situation of delays and ongoing maintenance to some vessels has created real difficulties for some. "We are determined to do everything we can to support islands, their local businesses and employers through these challenging times." Vessel shortage CalMac said it had put on extra sailings from South Uist to Barra, which offers an alternative route to Oban on the mainland. The firm's chief operating officer Diane Burke will attend the meeting. A spokesperson said: "We recognise the current challenges with our major vessel fleet has led to disruption on a number or routes, particularly on South Uist. "We've been in regular contact with local representatives throughout this period of disruption to ensure the community is kept informed about the service."Two ageing vessels MV Hebrides and MV Caledonian are currently undergoing repairs, while MV Hebridean Isles was retired from service late last year. Ferries procurement body CMAL is awaiting the arrival of the first of four new CalMac ferries being built in Turkey, but these are delayed and the first vessel MV Isle of Islay is not expected until later this summer. The long-delayed MV Glen Sannox, built by the Ferguson Marine shipyard, is now in service on the Arran route but its sister ship MV Glen Rosa is still under construction and a new update on its delivery is said the redevelopment of Lochboisdale and the replacement of MV Lord of the Isles were both dependent on funding approval by Transport Scotland.
