Uig pier concession, but questions remain

Postponement of linkspan installation at Uig until the New Year meant that bookings for the Tarbert and Lochmaddy routes re-opened on Wednesday of this week, barely a month before closure was due to take effect.

Travellers who were told they would be unable to travel on these routes from October 11th are now being asked to contact Caledonian MacBrayne in light of the new arrangements announced by Transport Minister, Jenny Gilruth.

While these delayed matters for three months, there is still huge uncertainty. An online meeting was chaired by Ms Gilruth on Tuesday, involving a large cast of civil servants, councillors, community groups, CMAL and CalMac management in an attempt to allay concerns.

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar transportation chair, Uisdean Robertson, said it was “a clear improvement” that, if the new plan is adhered to, closures will be restricted to 14 weeks rather than six months.

He said this concession will cost the Scottish Government £6 million. “There is a widespread view that if this had been on offer from the outset matters could have proceeded in a more orderly way. There are still a lot of questions and I fully understand the concerns of the Harris people”.

Mr Robertson said CMAL and CalMac had offered reassurance about the early work at Uig not running beyond March. He also said that while there was no confirmation of chartering the ‘Pentalina’ or ‘Arrow’ it did seem negotiations are continuing.

In a furious letter to Ms Gilruth, the chairman of Harris Development Ltd, Kenny Macleod expressed “horror” at a new “solution” if it could lead to Uig’s closure extending into next summer.

He wrote: “That level of uncertainty will cause huge damage to our economy… The ramifications of an extended 12-week block of uncertainty does not even bear thinking about”.

Mr Macleod continued: “We understand part of Option 2 will be the removal of the wave wall (at Uig) to save costs. That simply cannot be allowed to happen... Ever since the pier was built there have been huge issues with waves coming through the pier and preventing the vessel from berthing safely”.

Harris councillors followed up with letters to Ms Gilruth. Grant Fulton wrote: “Until uncertainty regarding the summer months is resolved this is not a solution. Businesses and individuals cannot make any concrete plans for the summer with the threat of a potential summer closure.

“We have said time and again that the impact of a summer closure will have a serious economic impact. This would be quite evident if an Islands Economic Impact Study had been carried out as per the Islands Act - legislation implemented by your government”.

Councillor Paul Finnegan told Ms Gilruth: “I am tired of seeing decisions your government has and is making which do nothing to protect the Outer Hebrides and its people, yet your government has put the Islands act in place … When are you going to start following your own legislation?”.

A statement on ferry services is due at Holyrood today (Thursday). This is likely to include a response to the long-awaited Ernst & Young report on the future of west coast ferry operations. It will also give an opportunity to raise more immediate concerns including those arising from the Uig closure.

Now there appear to be belated attempts to address them with options that were ruled out as “impossible” over many months.