Crisis summit leads to “cautious optimism”

It was attended by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, who promised procurement of a replacement vessel for the ‘Lord of the Isles’ will be included in next year’s budget and work will continue on plans for pier facilities at Lochboisdale.

While extensive consultation on both projects has already been undertaken, the commitment to funding the new vessel was welcomed. John Daniel Peteranna of SUBIG said there was “no reason for the procurement process not to start this year”.

In another significant announcement, Ms Hyslop said there is to be a £4.4 million resilience fund for communities most severely affected by ferry disruption – a demand which has repeatedly been refused until now by the Scottish Government.

Details are awaited about which parts of the CalMac network will be covered by the fund and what period it will operate over. Highlands and Islands Enterprise are expected to have responsibility for its operation.

With a new ferry still several years away, there have also been “positive discussions” with CalMac about improving resilience of the Lochboisdale route, supported by an enhanced timetable between Barra and Eriskay.

The “crisis summit” was called by SUBIG in response to particularly dire circumstances in recent months with Lochboisdale services dependent on the MV Isle of Mull with a passenger capacity reduced to 45 for safety reasons.

This is set to continue into mid-May due to pressures on the ageing CalMac fleet and delays in vessels returning from maintenance after additional work is required. CalMac are now offering at least one sailing a week to be provided by a larger vessel until a credible service can be resumed.

The meeting, held in Cnoc Soilleir, was a great credit to the islanders who attended with no fewer than 27 making brief, dignified statements about the impact on their own interests and the island economy caused by years of disruption, culminating in recent events.

There were representatives from over 50 island businesses, small and large, from hospitality to haulage, seafood producers to marine services, distilleries and medical services, visitor attractions and agriculture.

Reaction to Ms Hyslop’s announcements has been positive though notes of caution have been sounded about the lack of detail and the timescales which will emerge in reality. Unusually, no press releases have been issued by the Scottish Government to elaborate upon commitments made.

In a statement on Wednesday, SUBIG welcomed confirmation of funding for a new ferry and also the Minister’s assurance that around £4 million of financing is now approved for next steps in surveys for the replacement ferry pier.

“While welcoming news of a Resilience Fund for the worst affected islands”, the Group said, “there was disappointment at the absence of any detail”. It added: “Used to hearing positive words, we intend to maintain pressure on Government and CalMac to ensure actions follow”.

There was a welcome for “CalMac’s offer to formalise their relationship with the Group to ensure a constructive, solution based approach in future based on more effective engagement and the lived experience of island business owners”

Torcuil Crichton MP paid tribute to the South Uist Business Impact Group for “wrestling a £4.4 million compensation fund from the Scottish Government” adding:. “We don't know the details but we do know there's been a measurable £3 million pound loss, at least, in the last couple of years to the UIst economy.

“So the fund is itself an admission of failure and that message was driven home by the very moving testimony of business and community representatives”. He added: “I'm glad there's a sense of direction now for Lochboisdale with the announcement that a new ferry to replace the Lord of the Isles will be budgeted and that there are funds to look at renewing the ferry terminal itself .The truth is, you can't have one without the other so we’re half way to a result”.

Alasdair Allan MSP said: “The news from Fiona Hyslop that money has been allocated to replace MV Lord of the Isles is a vote of confidence in ferry services from Lochboisdale.

“This was one of the asks of the South Uist Business Impact Group as well as the establishment of a resilience fund for local businesses affected by disruption. It was very encouraging to see the Scottish Government meeting both of these requests so comprehensively”.

John Daniel Peteranna summed up: “The lived experience of island business owners and families is vastly different to those who live on the mainland and it was good to see that recognised.

"Every business and family is affected by the ongoing ferry crisis, from health and childcare to trade and business. These announcements give us cautious optimism for the future.”