South Uist – again – bears the brunt of ferry chaos
“Chaotic planning” by “mainlanders with a spreadsheet” will leave South Uist with a skeleton ferry service over Easter with threats of further disruption to follow into another summer timetable.
The root of the problem continues to lie in the chronic shortage of serviceable vessels which is forcing CalMac to shuffle the remaining fleet around the network.
The latest advice from CaMac confirms there will be just one direct service a week over the peak Easter holiday period from the mainland to South Uist.
The South Uist Business Impact Group commented acidly: “Strangely there are two departures from the island to the mainland each week, presumably to cope with islanders giving up and leaving the island for good”.
SUBIG said: “Islanders had previously suggested CalMac use a different boat on at least a couple of the busiest days of the week, allowing two return services from Lochboisdale to its closest mainland port of Mallaig.
“Instead, without deigning to explain why, CalMac have allocated a ship that is too big for Mallaig and must travel a further two hours to Oban, the nearest port at which it can dock”.
The reason, they say, is to provide more services to Barra, which has itself faced continuing disruption of services due to long delays in vessels returning from maintenance.
“This massive cut to our transport connection defies logic” said John Daniel Peteranna, on behalf of SUBIG. “We had a meeting with CalMac last week but they didn’t mention any cuts to service and haven’t bothered to engage with us since.
“CalMac is clearly run by mainlanders with a spreadsheet, with no idea of the hardship, pain and suffering they cause to those the Government pays them to serve”.
The latest cuts take effect from Friday. “Saturday’s two sailings are now cancelled. Next week’s Easter weekend will see just one boat arrive, on Easter Sunday”.
SUBIG’s statement continued: “The calamity affecting South Uist follows a winter when their ferry service has been cut by half for much of the time, leaving the South Uist economy reeling, badly affecting freight, families, businesses, attendance at hospital appointments, and now summer visitors who are vital to the island’s depleted economy”.
The cuts follow a string of CalMac breakdowns and severely overrun annual servicing. After three months of repairs, the quarter billion pound ‘Glen Sannox’ again broke down this week, while the ‘Caledonian Isles’ remains out of service for repairs to its main engine.
Barra’s usual ferry MV Isle of Lewis is in drydock until at least the end of May for repairs to a rusting fuel tank, while North Uist’s usual larger ship MV Hebrides is also undergoing extended repairs.
In another let-down, plans for more frequent sailings on the small ferry between Barra and South Uist, which provides some relief, have also been delayed.
SUBIG said: “Despite previous assurances that the crew was ready and trained, they have now been told that they need further training which could mean no extra services until the end of May”.
Yesterday (Thursday) CalMac CEO Duncan Mackison said: “We’re working hard to restore services and get vessels back into action as quickly as can.
“MV Glen Sannox returned to service this afternoon following repairs to a damaged exhaust. MV Caledonian Isles will undertake sea trials this evening and we’re optimistic that she’ll be able to resume service tomorrow. We recognise Arran’s service has been heavily disrupted, but I am pleased we may see the island’s two-vessel service reinstated from tomorrow.
“MV Isle of Islay will not be able to enter service until at least Monday to allow the crew to work through outstanding issues, and they’ll have the full support of the wider business over the weekend to do so.
“The single-vessel service can accommodate booking volumes on Saturday and Sunday and in cancelling Friday’s two-vessel service early, we’ve done what we can to give affected customers the chance to make alternative travel plans.”