Ferries

The Western and Northern Isles depend critically on ferry services. Ferry development faces major issues of how to improve island accessibility and increase service frequency, while containing costs. A further issue is the role of competition and subsidy.

On most routes, ferries need subsidy due to the low population and traffic levels, particularly in winter months. Specification of service levels and vessel quality on all routes should be determined by the government and councils in consultation with local communities, implemented through franchising agreements.

SAPT advocates co-ordination of ferry timetables with rail, bus and island air services. The valuable island hopscotch and rover tickets must be retained under  future franchising arrangements in the Clyde and Western Isles. A common summer and winter timetable changeover date should be agreed for ferry, train and bus.

Adoption of road equivalent tariffs on all routes is welcomed by SAPT, as long as rates and service quality for passengers encourage greater use of public transport for overall journeys.  Tariff incentives and improved connections to tempt users to travel by public transport rather than car will help the environment and also clearly reduce the cost of providing ferry services.   

Few Scottish ferry routes can support competition. The CalMac Gourock-Dunoon ferry (left) provides an important public transport link from Gourock  railhead to Dunoon town centre,and carries vehicles. Western Ferries provide a more frequent, unsubsidised vehicle ferry service from McInroys Point to Hunters Quay, however this is not convenient for rail passengers or for Dunoon town centre, and has increased the taxpayer subsidy needed for CalMac’s integrated passenger/vehicle route. The best overall solution would be a franchised, high frequency ferry between Gourock railhead and Dunoon town centre, with fares fixed at road equivalent tariff.

Competition or Franchising?

CalMac Gourock-Dunoon ferry carries vehicles, and passengers from the railhead at Gourock.

Some routes have only three ferry sailings per week in winter. On some islands,accessibility could be vastly improved by replacing long routes by shorter crossings allowing a more frequent  service to be operated. And  RET fares would be lower.

For instance, Lochboisdale - Mallaig is only 57 miles compared with 86 miles on the existing longer route to Oban.  

Coll-Oban is 43 miles compared with only 20 miles to Tobermory where connection could be made overland to the Craignure-Oban ferry.

SAPT advocate a full route review before the next franchise is agreed.

Route Review