Clipper ranger

The Scottish Government are being urged to hire a second ferry for the Stornoway - Ullapool crossing to alleviate the problem of high demand at the peak of summer.

The comhairle says the MV Clipper Ranger should be drafted in to provide a freight service thus freeing up the MV Loch Seaforth to focus on transporting passengers and their vehicles.

The Ranger is was being chartered by P&O Ferries on the Liverpool to Dublin route from Monday 25 March 2013.

Extra ferries are required on the summer services to the Western Isles say islanders as a growing number of travellers are being refused bookings on their preferred sailings.

Additional peak sailings were cut since 2016 when a single vessel - the MV Loch Seaforth - replaced two ferries.

The £42 million new-build Seaforth has to carry haulage trucks previously transported by a dedicated freight boat.

Lewis now only gets two sailings a day at the height of the heaving summer period - the same number as during the slack winter months.

Many would-be travellers simply cannot get space onboard ferries.

Comhairle leader Roddie Mackay raised the concerns with Economy Secretary Keith Brown at a meeting yesterday.

Mr Mackay explained: "Ferries are not just about transport but also very much about economic impacts and I wanted to ensure that

“Mr Brown was aware of the hugely negative economic impact on our islands as a direct result of inadequate ferry capacity.”

He asked Mr Brown to look into engaging the MV Clipper Ranger as a dedicated freight vessel in time for this summer.

Mr Mackay held reservations over the extra costs but acknowledges it was a “real issue and assured me he would look into the matter.”

Transport Minister Humza Yousaf previously said he was looking for an additional vessel but the comhairle is “increasingly concerned about the potential capacity challenges facing us again this year.”

The council leader said: “We have carried out some research ourselves and it would appear that the Clipper Ranger may offer a meaningful solution.

“Therefore, we have asked Scottish Government to pursue this as a matter of urgency.

“A dedicated freight vessel will go a very long way to alleviating this capacity issue and allowing the islands to enjoy significantly increased economic growth.

“We are confident that Scottish Government and ministers have a real understanding of the issue and hope that they will support an arrangement to have the Clipper Ranger back on the Stornoway-Ullapool route this summer.

“I would like to thank the minister for his positive engagement on this crucial islands' issue.”

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “We recognise there are emerging capacity issues across the Clyde and Hebrides ferry service network and we are taking forward a study to consider future priorities for investment in our ferry services to the Western Isles, including the important Ullapool-Stornoway route.

“In addition to this, extra sailings have been incorporated in timetables for next summer following feedback from local communities, again including the Stornoway-Ullapool route.”

Call to charter Clipper Ranger as second ferry for Stornoway route

2 February 2018