We’ve been left out again, say businesses in South Uist as their period without a ferry service stretches out at least May 17 despite improvements elsewhere.
South Uist businesses are pleading with CalMac to run at least one ferry a week to their island, saying it is unacceptable that their island is the only major route to be left with no service for the next month.
South Uist Business Impact Group (SUBIG) are calling for the pain to be shared. If one island were to lose its service for just one day a week it would ensure South Uist had at least one service a week.
The island’s usual ferry, the freshly repaired and back-in-service MV Lord of the Isles, is being used to serve the Isle of Mull.
The group say the recent increase in number of services in the early morning and late evening of the small ferry linking Uist with the Isle of Barra, is welcome, allowing more options for businesses and islanders needing to travel between the islands, as well as allowing connections with the mainland ferry from Castlebay.
However the Castlebay mainland ferry is already full or almost full on many sailings and space on the inter-island ferry is very limited.
“Two years ago we lost our ferry service for a month in June. The year before that it was taken away for a month in April. Independent economic analysis showed that on both occasions this cost our island millions in lost income.
“As a result of our campaign and questions raised in the Scottish Parliament, CalMac agreed to redraw their disruption contingency plans and promised that no one island would take the brunt of disruption. Yet two years later here we are with no ferry for almost two months! Not one sailing. Surely it isn’t too much to ask that the pain is shared amongst other islands.” said John Daniel Peteranna of SUBIG.
CalMac Ferries say on their website: “Due to disruption across our network, services to Lochboisdale remain cancelled up to and including Sunday 17 May.” The booking system is closed until Sunday 17 May.
“If you were planning on booking a trip to Lochboisdale and now have to travel via Castlebay and the Sound of Barra, you can submit a passenger rights claim for the difference in the ticket price.
“The following additional sailings can be requested to provide extra capacity for booked customers travelling on Oban-Castlebay services connecting with the Sound of Barra. Depart: Ardmhor – 03:20 Depart: Eriskay – 04:20. These sailings are by request only.”
Meanwhile, the Alliance to Liberate Scotland candidate for the Western Isles, Kenneth Mackenzie, has pledged that, if elected, he will immediately campaign to relocate the headquarters of Caledonian MacBrayne from Gourock to South Uist.
Mackenzie said the current mainland-based management of CalMac has repeatedly failed the Outer Hebrides.
Barra, Uist, Harris and Lewis have borne the brunt of the ferry crisis for far too long – cancelled sailings, unreliable timetables and vessels taken off for repairs with no proper relief plan,” he said.
“Relocating CalMac’s headquarters to South Uist will bring decision-making home to the islands that depend on these routes every single day. Local control means local accountability. No more distant boardrooms in Gourock deciding our lifeline services while islanders suffer.”
The disbandment of CMAL by the Scottish Government is required to rectify the shambles our ferry fleet has been deat over the years of mismanagement, with ferry designs not fit for purpose, he said.
On the ballot paper for the Scottish Parliament election on Thursday, May 7, are Alasdair Allan, SNP; Jamie Dobson, Scottish Liberal Democrats; Kenny MacKenzie, Alliance to Liberate Scotland and Sovereignty; Donald MacKinnon, Scottish Labour Party; George MacPherson, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party; and Malcolm Ivor McTaggart, Reform UK.
https://welovestornoway.com/index.php/articles/42187-new-south-uist-plea-for-return-of-a-ferry-link