Islanders take the initiative to launch cheaper ferry service

Published on Wednesday 23 July 2008 21:54

THE Scottish Government has been presented with plans for a new ferry service between South Uist and the mainland to replace a crossing run by the state-owned Caledonian MacBrayne.

Islanders have long campaigned for a new service from Lochboisdale to Mallaig, to cut journey times.

Last September, CalMac was awarded a new six-year contract to run lifeline services around the Clyde and Hebrides, but ministers rejected its case for a Lochboisdale-Mallaig route, due to high costs.

They said the route was "unaffordable" as a new ferry costing 25 million was needed and running costs were estimated at 4 million a year.

A ferry between Lochboisdale and Oban takes 7 hours, but a link to Mallaig would cut that journey to 3 hours.

Stras Uibhist, the community body that owns the South Uist Estate, covering 93,000 acres of South Uist, Benbecula and Eriskay, has joined with Pentland Ferries to propose a Mallaig crossing. Pentland's ferry, MV Claymore, a former CalMac vessel, will become available in September.

Stras Uibhist says the service could operate twice a day between March and October and once a day in winter, seven days a week, for 1.3 million less than the present operation.

Angus MacMillan, the chairman, put the plans to Stewart Stevenson, the transport minister, this week. he said: "CalMac has not come up with a proposal that was suitable. We have now gone to Pentland Ferries and they have given us an option.

"Scottish ministers must now decide whether to deliver on promises to the people of South Uist, Eriskay and Benbecula and take the historic step of improving services in the Western Isles, rather than cutting them."

Andrew Banks, the managing director of Pentland Ferries, said the ferry "would provide an affordable and convenient service for the people of South Uist".

A service to Mallaig was supported last month at The Scotsman's debate on the islands, held in Benbecula. Islanders said travelling from South Uist to Glasgow by public transport can take up to 14 hours.

Yesterday, a Scottish Government spokesman said Mr Stevenson had had a useful meeting with Stras Uibhist: "There were some interesting ideas put forward, but these now require detailed consideration."

However, CalMac has concerns about the effect on its annual government subsidy if the Pentland Ferries proposal is accepted. Phil Preston, operations director, said it had not been approached by

"any party… to consider what impact the Stras Uibhist proposal may have on our contractual obligations to the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services network".