The refusal to hire a floating ferry linkspan at Uig pier to keep Skye triangle sailings going this winter has caused outrage.
For almost six months all Tarbert ferry sailings will be cancelled during construction works at the mainland pier.
Hooking up a temporary linkspan during the shutdown would maintain a ferry service and reduce the outage period say critics.
But the proposal was refused says Harris Development Ltd (HDL) which will prevent any ferry from docking at the Skye port between this October and the end of March 2023.
HDL also slammed the Scottish Government, claiming it is ignoring the “consequences” for the people living on Harris and Uist.
MV Hebrides is pencilled in to operate a dedicated return daily run between Lochmaddy and Ullapool but no service will be put in place for Harris.
Kenny Macleod chairman of HDL, urged an urgent rethink on the temporary linkspan refusal.
Maintaining a lifeline ferry service should have been included as a strict condition in the pier construction contract, he says.
He calls for the floating linkspan option to be “revisited and arrangements made for this to be in place to ensure the very existence of the Harris and Uist communities continues beyond the end of this summer.”
He added: “We know that this was not due to a lack of available linkspans and so can only be down to a financial consideration.
“Having the works arranged in such a way as to facilitate the continued operation of the lifeline ferry service should have been the default position, and one that a government that cared for its island communities would have insisted on.”
He added: “Businesses are already looking at plans for closing down because they cannot continue to trade as a result of the planned 24-
Harris councillor, Grant Fulton, said: “A floating linkspan was mooted but it seems there is not the finance to implement this.”
Withdrawing the ferry service will deliver a severe economic blow to Harris it is feared.
Mr Fulton warned of looming ‘dire situation’ with local hotels impacted and at least one operator looking at closing for the winter.
In addition, “we have an ageing demographic, many who require hospital treatment in Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, this will be problematic.
“Shops, B & Bs, restaurants, catering vans and folk just wishing to travel are all going to be negatively impacted.”
“No economic impact evaluation has been carried out to assess how deeply this will affect our community,” he highlighted.
The Scottish Government was also slammed for refusing to fund the full use of the MV Hebrides’ mezzanine deck this summer.
Restricting its operation reduces car carrying capacity, curbing the number of travellers to the islands.
The “devastating” decision has impacted the Tarbert and Lochmaddy service this summer, resulting in a “significant number of cancellations and lost revenue for businesses seeking to recover from the severe impacts of Covid.”
“The government are refusing to pay £816,000 to protect at least £3.5 million of income for the Harris economy but are willingly paying millions of pounds to support jobs in the central belt.”
In correspondence to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Mr Fulton said: “The complete lack of care, compassion and any sense of urgency regarding our current situation and the coming maelstrom due to the complete closure is staggering and bewildering.
“The Western Isles supported CalMac retaining the last contract, I doubt there will be the goodwill ever again.
“The Western Isles returned a SNP MP to Westminster and a SNP MSP to Edinburgh, however, I can reliably inform you that it will be a much more difficult job come election time.
“Prior to the local elections I talked to many people and the number one topic was the ferry and how they felt neglected by the Scottish Government.”
Kenny Macleod delivered a stinging rebuke to MSP Alasdair Allan for “completely overlooking” the needs of his constituents.
A recent letter sent by the MSP to the government “does not in any way reflect the actual demands of the Harris and Uist communities who are going to be so seriously impacted by the proposal,” he stated.
“You have been elected by the people of the Western Isles to represent them in the Scottish Parliament.
“We would ask that you put the needs of your constituents ahead of any thoughts of protecting the government from any criticism for decisions that so clearly and negatively impact on our fragile communities.
He continued: “The Scottish Government invested millions of pounds in the Ferguson shipyard to safeguard 300 or so jobs in Inverclyde. We would expect our MSP to be very loudly demanding that similar money be invested in protecting not only jobs but whole communities in our islands from the devastating effects of the proposed closure of Uig ferry terminal.
“Or is it the case that jobs in the central belt are more important than those in our island communities?”
In response a Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “We recognise the key role that ferry services play in supporting the economic, social and cultural development of island and remote mainland communities.
“We have long acknowledged the need to address delays in delivering new and improved ferry infrastructure, which is why we have committed to investing a further £580 million in the Infrastructure Investment Plan.
“We fully appreciate that concerns remains around the impact of the closure on local communities and businesses.
“The closure period for Uig project is required to enable safe and efficient completion of the essential works on replacement of life expired infrastructure.
“The clear focus of the project remains the improvement of capacity, reliability and resilience of port at Uig for the longer term benefit of the routes to the Western Isles.
“We continue to engage with the Highland Council and their contractor to explore all options to reduce the closure period where practicable and are working closely with CalMac to confirm service continuity measures over the late summer and winter periods.”
Scottish Government accused of sinking temporary pier linkspan proposal
13 June 2022
