Western Isles ferry shake-up a '˜leap in the dark'

THE PROSPECT of ferry services to the western isles being handed over to a private operator have been branded a 'leap into the dark' by local community groups.

A CalMac ferry off the coast of Rothesay. The operator is in a bidding war for routes with Serco. Picture: John Devlin

Publicly owned CalMac, the current operator, is locked in a battle with corporate outsourcing giant Serco to run future Clyde and Hebrides ferry services which is currently out to tender.

CalMac last week submitted its final bid in the process for the £1 billion contract.

A decision is expected by ministers on the new service in May.

But Ian Gillies of Tiree Community Council yesterday voiced concerns over the prospect of Serco taking over.

“I really feel it’s a leap into the unknown,” he said.

“We have a tried and tested management team with CalMac. They run about 30 services now.

“It’s a total leap of faith to change operators from a tried and tested formula.”

Serco does operate ferry services to the Northern Isles after winning the contract four years ago. But concerns about the prospect of the firm taking over services on the west coast has prompted staff to take strike action.

The Scottish Government says that EU rules means it must put ferry services out to tender.

Mr Gillies, who formerly sat on the CalMac board, added: “We do hope on the Western Isles that CalMac will be the eventual winner of the tender.”

Martin Dorchester, managing director of CalMac Ferries, said: “CalMac will always put the lifeline ferry services and the needs of the remote communities we serve above any commercial concerns. Operating on the west coast is our principal reason to exist. Nobody knows these routes better than us and providing 130,000 sailings a year in some of the most challenging waters in Europe is impressive by any standards. I believe that our vast knowledge and experience of these routes makes CalMac the best qualified and the only credible operator of them now and in the future.”

Serco has said its bid is based on improving “the quality of service for ferry customers and delivering better value for money for the Scottish Government”.

The firm said it has also undertaken “hundreds of visits to talk to people on the islands” ahead of its bid.