Council resumes passenger service after Corran Ferry breaks down again

The Corran Ferry has been suspended once again after a technical issue hit the MV Maid of Glencoul on Wednesday afternoon.

 

Sailings between Ardgour on the Ardnamurchan peninsula and Corran on the mainland have been cancelled due to what the ferry's Twitter account has described as a "technical fault."

 

The Highland Council, the ferry operator, said in an update on Thursday June 29 that it 'is unlikely we will be running in the next couple of days'.

 

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The busiest ferry route in Scotland has faced a difficult year, making national headlines when the two vessels used to operate it  - the MV Maid of Glencoul and the MV Corran - were out of service at the same time in the springtime.

 

This left the route without a car service for two months, and although the MV Maid of Glencoul returned to service on Monday June 5, the MV Corran remains absent after going for an overhaul in October 2022.

 

The Highland Council revealed this week that the 22-year-old MV Corran is now not expected to return until mid August.

 

This means the smaller 47-year-old Maid of Glencoul has been left to serve the remote communities of Morvern, Sunart and Ardnamurchan and the Isle of Mull on its own.

 

The Highland Council said: "Yesterday afternoon (Wednesday 28 June) just before 4pm the Maid of Glencoul developed a fault which resulted in the suspension of the Corran Ferry service.

 

"Today (Thursday 29 June) the crew have been working with an electrician to identify and rectify the defect with the steering system. It has not been possible to resolve this issue remotely and so a specialist maritime engineer is on their way to site.

 

"This is being treated as a matter of urgency and until the service resumes, temporary foot passenger service from Fort William Pier to Ardgour will be in place from tomorrow morning as provided previously by Cruise Loch Linnhe.

 

"The existing shuttle bus service will be running as normal and this links up with the foot passenger service operated by Highland Ferries from Fort William to Camusnagaul. The Fort William – Camusnagaul ferry remains on its enhanced timetable which was introduced following the Corran Ferry breakdown

 

"Visitors can also use the alternative road routes around the Loch that have recently been improved with additional signage and expanded passing places."

 

The chair of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Inverness South SNP councillor Ken Gowans said: “I want to give the reassurance that we are doing everything possible to support the communities until the Maid is back in operation.”

 

The chair of the Corran Ferry Steering Group, Fort William and Ardnamurchan SNP councillor Sarah Fanet said: ‘’I am very pleased that contingency measures have been put in place quickly and this is reminder of the importance of the existing foot passenger ferry service between Camusnagaul and Fort William, combined with a bus shuttle. I just want to thank all staff and crew who are doing everything they can to have this resolved as soon as possible.’’

 

The Scottish Parliament's Deputy Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Conservative Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston, said: "This is extremely disappointing news, but was always the risk when the return of the MV Corran was further delayed and the 47 year old Maid of Glencoul was pressed into increased service.

 

"It is is another blow to the local communities left increasingly reliant on an unreliable ferry service, and who have already endured significant disruptions.

 

“We can only hope that, whatever the problem is, it can be fixed and the suspension of service doesn't run from days into weeks as last time.

 

"It only highlights the urgent need for a long-term solution to address the ongoing issues plaguing this vital service.