CalMac representatives attempt to ease South Uist anger over ferry cancellations

Representatives of CalMac, including CEO Robbie Drummond, met members of the South Uist public and business community as the ferry company sought to ease tensions arising from the island's continued ferry cancellations.

 

Over 200 locals came to the town hall meeting in Southend Hall in Daliburgh on Tuesday June 20, with the community demanding a response to the repeated cancelling of the Lochboisdale to Mallaig service.

 

The meeting followed a protest on Lochboisdale pier on Sunday June 4 that garnered national attention.

 

CalMac cancelled the Lochboisdale service from June 3 to June 30 as the MV Lord of the Isles (LOTI) was moved to assist on the Islay-Kennacraig route, leaving South Uist without any direct connection to the mainland.

 

It is the second time in two months that the service has been suspended for multiple weeks, and the latest incident in an extended problem. Mr Drummond met Na h-Eileanan an Iar MSP Alasdair Allan as far back as May 2018 after all Lochboisdale services were cut for two weeks.

 

CalMac says that the decision of which ferries are redeployed is guided by a matrix that considers over 30 points. That the matrix repeatedly removes the South Uist service has led many to question its fairness, and Mr Allan to criticise it in the Scottish Parliament earlier this year.

 

After the Daliburgh meeting, Mr Drummond said it was understandable that people were angry and that the matrix would be re-examined.

 

He said: “I have committed to review the matrix, which we use to help determine how to provide services across the network when we lose major vessels. This will include stakeholders such as the Ferries Community Board. It is important that this is done properly and we will ensure that we consult and engage with as many communities as possible.

 

“We also committed to spending more time in our communities so we can listen and understand their real experiences and how we can make our service better.

 

Many residents, however, felt no adequate solutions were being offered.

 

Posting a video from the Southend Hall immediately after the meeting, Stòras Uibhist CEO Darren Taylor said: "We are bitterly disappointed with what we have heard tonight.

 

"There wasn't a single acknowledgement of any sense of change. There wasn't a single undertaking made by anyone from CalMac. There was a lot of dodging of questions. There was a lot of deflection. There were no answers.

 

"So as of tomorrow morning I'm back to the Business Resilience Group, the ferry resilience group, and we will be pushing CalMac even harder for some genuine progress because what we heard tonight is a real disappointment."

 

As well as CEO Mr Drummond, CalMac was represented at the Daliburgh meeting by Commercial Director Diane Burke, Operations Director Robert Morrison, and Head of Operations Finlay MacRae.

 

The day after the South Uist event, CalMac said it would be holding a drop-in event on Arran, has also been affected by ferry cancellations, on Wednesday June 28.

 

A solidarity march for the South Uist community was held in Glasgow on Saturday June 24. Around 100 people joined the demonstration.