Tender for ferry network includes extra services

IMPROVED ferry services on some of the most popular west coast island routes are planned as part of the tender for Caledonian MacBrayne's network, which was launched yesterday.

A new 20 million ferry will boost summer sailings between Kennacraig on Kintyre and Islay, with extra sailings between Ardrossan and Brodick on Arran, Oban and Craignure on Mull, and Oban and Coll/Tiree.

The changes will be introduced next autumn and will be operated by the winning bidder, with the new vessel following in 2009. V.Ships, the world's largest ship management company, whose main base is Glasgow, is CalMac's sole challenger for the five-year contract.

However, sources told The Scotsman it remained unclear whether the firm would submit a tender by next May's deadline.

A spokesman would say only that the firm would review its position when it had received the tender documents.

The Scottish Executive has been forced to launch the process because of European laws over subsidies paid to state-owned companies like CalMac.

Neil Kay, professor emeritus of economics at Strathclyde University, welcomed the improvements as "commendable" but said the European Commission might question whether they were warranted, since extra subsidy would be required.

The Executive dismissed this but said the subsidy would not be known until bids came in.