Comhairle wants Mull ship

Western Isles Council has called on Cal Mac to use the MV Isle of Mull or similar sized ship to cover for Stornoway to Ullapool route disruption this Spring.

It proposes taking the ferry away from Mull and replace her with, the bigger Stornoway ferry, MV Isle of Lewis, on the busy Oban to Craignure route.

Alternatively, she could be used to reshuffle the fleet to provide a suitable vessel to work on a temporary timetable.

Travellers to Lewis face chaotic diversions when the replacement of 42-year-old ferry linkspan at the usual mainland destination, Ullapool, is being undertaken for about six weeks over the Easter holidays.

Western Isles Council has furiously condemned Cal Mac for keeping them in the dark and imposing an alternative service with irregular sailings at awkward times between Stornoway and Skye during the works period, between February 22 until April 7.

Not only would the present twice-daily service be slashed to a single run, the ferry sails at a different time nearly every day due to tidal restraints.

Middle-of-the-night departures are a feature of the temporary timetable.

Furious at the development, the council demands a better solution, highlighting that essential supplies and freight as well as people travelling by car will be severely disrupted.

However, islander on Mull are likely to object as the MV Isle of Lewis is thought not to be wholly suitable for harbours at Caignure or Oban. The layout of her car ramp means vehicles would have to turnaround inside the ship and she could only berth bow on to their piers.

There is no other feasible option and all avenues have been considered, insists the shipping operator.

The council also wants the Ullapool linkspan works suspended while a proper consultation is commenced.

Council transport chief Iain Mackay will tackle Cal Mac bosses over the issue at a meeting in Oban on Friday.

He also seeks an urgent meeting with new transport minister Derek Mackay, whom the council believes understands their concerns.

Iain Mackinnon, Western Isles technical service chief, said there is “anger and frustration at the fait accompli” presented by Cal Mac.

Council convenor Norman Macdonald warned against asking to delay the Ullapool works as a new linkspan was necessary.

Senior Cal Mac bosses have already pointed out they looked at a wide range of scenarios “involving different ships and different ports.”

They consider the irregular timetable with the MV Isle of Lewis to be the very best way to maintain services “without causing further disruption elsewhere in the network.”

A statement highlighted: “We have no other ships available to us at this time and cannot use any other ship within the network without significantly disrupting another service.

Comhairle wants Mull ship to help cover Stornoway ferry

26 November 2014