MSP Alasdair Allan, has raised community concerns about the absence of the MV Hebrides from the Uig to Lochmaddy and Tarbert route.
There is a local feeling that the current replacement vessels this winter are contributing to high levels of cancellations.
The MV Hebrides is the relief vessel on routes, covering for ferries in drydock.
She will not return to the Uig triangle service for weeks as she will undergo her own overhaul after filling in for the MV Clansman on the South Uist and Barra route.
Alasdair Allan said this was the third consecutive year he raised concerns about the winter absence of the Hebrides.
Uist community want return of the Hebrides
28 January 2016
The MP said: “If there is any solution to winter deployment which does not cause the MV Hebrides to be removed from the Uig service, other than for her own maintenance, I believe it is worthy of serious consideration.
"Certainly it would be useful to have assurances about how things will be managed next winter.
“In the meantime the priority has to be addressing the reliability – as much as weather conditions allow – of services between now and the end of February, when MV Hebrides is due to return to the route.
"People in Uist have left me in no doubt about their views on this subject in recent days."
“Of course, in the long term strengthening our ferry fleet is the best thing we can do to improve the reliability of the routes.
"That is why the Scottish Government has invested £97 million in building two new
dual-
A CalMac spokesman said: "CalMac operates 31 vessels on routes across 24 island and other mainland west coast destinations.
"Each of these vessels needs to spend a period every year in dry dock for essential maintenance and for annual Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) safety certification.
"The scheduling of this to ensure that services to all destinations remains seamless is complex and unavoidably involves taking vessels which normally serve specific routes away for short periods to cover other areas.
“We appreciate that communities build up an infinity with their own vessel and appreciate their patience during this time. We do all we can to minimise the amount of time vessels spend off their normal route working within the fleet resources we have."