Islay ferry winter timetable 'not fit for purpose'

Islay's winter ferry timetable is not fit-for-purpose, the island's ferry group has said, as it calls on transport chiefs for 'urgent change'.

 

Islanders on Islay and Jura are struggling to book vehicle space on the CalMac ferries that connect Port Askaig and Port Ellen to Kennacraig, says Islay Community Council Ferry Committee (ICCFC). 'We found lots of sailings weeks ahead were fully booked,' it said.

 

Last month CalMac published its winter timetable, which runs from October 24 2022 to March 30 2023. It is usually released around May/June/July, but this year it was months late due to extended discussions around the Uig Harbour closure.

 

Islanders and visitors were unable to book winter ferry travel until a few weeks before the timetable started, leaving them scrambling for vehicle space. However, before it was published, hauliers or 'commercial vehicles' (CV) could block book space for six months ahead, squeezing other travellers into what was left.

 

While CV bookings increased this year, space on the vessels has not, the ICCFC says, despite its calls for more capacity. Islay's two new, bigger ferries, each giving 40 per cent extra vehicle space, will not arrive until 2024/25.

 

CalMac's initial figures, the ICCFC's spokesperson said, showed a 12.7 per cent increase in CV block bookings for this winter compared to last. However, at a recent meeting, CalMac told them they had 'seriously underestimated' that figure and was re-checking.

 

'Where is the cut-off?' the ferry group asked CalMac: 'ICCFC has nothing against lorries. We are for prosperity for the island. But if there is limited capacity, it has to be balanced with all the 'lifeline' interests. It cannot be given to one sector at the expense of everyone else.

 

'CalMac has now given us a list to consider prioritising cargo. But it is a lifeline service. How can we prioritise them in any order? It is like drawing up a doom list: what is going to be dropped at the expense of other priorities? Should we give priority for people travelling for emergencies? Key workers? People with hospital appointments? Vehicles carrying fuel? We do not need priority lists. We need capacity.

 

'Someone who makes a block booking can cancel up to 24 hours before the sailing. They can reserve the space and cancel with no penalties. The rules need changing.' Earlier, the ICCFC said CalMac's own stats showed 37 per cent of block bookings in July and August were not used.

 

'The current timetable is no longer fit for purpose and we need to continue our discussions with CalMac for urgent change,' the ICCFC said.

 

'All of this comes on top of concerns about possible breakdowns and lack of contingency measures. Despite ICCFC having been assured the MV Finlaggan would not be re-deployed elsewhere, the new winter timetable shows this will happen and Islay will be left with the two oldest vessels in the fleet in February and March - neither of which could cover the service adequately on their own.'

 

CalMac chief executive Robbie Drummond said its working group is trying to solve Islay's 'capacity challenges'.

 

'Demand for space on the Islay-Kennacraig route is growing,' he said. 'We are shipping a growing number of commercial vehicles on this route, a number which increased by 23 per cent over five years, from 11,139 in contract year 2016/17 to 13,687 in contract year 2021/22.

 

'Unfortunately, the Islay timetable is already stretched to its maximum limit and there are no spare vessels in the fleet that could provide additional support.'

 

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