Transport Minister challenged by Edward Mountain MSP after CalMac forecasts 2 more years of disruption

Highlands and Islands MSP, Edward Mountain today called out the Scottish Government for its long-term failure to build a resilient ferry network, which threatens the viability of Scotland’s island communities.

This comes after CalMac Chief Executive Robbie Drummond admitted that the next two years will be challenging for Scotland’s island communities, with a lack of spare ferry vessels causing continued travel disruption.

During a series of questions to the Scottish Government’s Transport Minister, Edward Mountain MSP said: “Now if the Transport Minister is still in position after this leadership battle, will she give me an assurance that a spare ferry will either be rented or purchased to cover the next two years?”

The Minister for Transport said: “I’m more than happy to give a confirmation to Mr Mountain in relation to that request.”

Jenny Gilruth MSP continued: “I again want to put on the record, that CMAL have made offers to purchase two second-hand major vessels, the MV Arrow and the MV Straitsman, which have unfortunately been unsuccessful. We will absolutely continue to look for a spare vessel that Mr Mountain has alluded to. I recognise very much so that there is a challenge in relation to the current fleet and the availability of services at the current time. I recognise too… that if there are ongoing conversations in relation to securing the services of an additional vessel some of those conversations will be commercially sensitive.”

Edward Mountain MSP then asked: “So we’ve got the MV Pentalina, which will hopefully come on to station to work. But that’s just one extra ferry. So my question is… will 802 be on station and operational by early 2024, as has been announced by this government?”

The Minister replied: “We remain absolutely committed to the completion of those vessels and supporting our island communities that rely on that type of vessel.”

Following the exchange in the Scottish Parliament, Edward Mountain MSP commented:

“Jenny Gilruth was notably unable, or unwilling, to give an answer to how the Scottish Government proposes to deal with the next two years of unreliability predicted by CalMac’s chief executive.

“I specifically asked whether 802 would be on station and operational by early 2024, as announced, but she refused to give that guarantee, saying only that she ‘remained absolutely committed to the completion of these vessels’ That’s simply not good enough when this ferry is already six years late.

“Nor could she assure islanders that a ferry could be rented or chartered if necessary. For 16 years, this Government has been looking for ferries to rent – the fact that they couldn’t do that should have suggested to them that they should get on with building them.

“But under this Government we’ve seen the 10-year-old ferry plan left on the shelf and ignored. Islanders need greater urgency and finally to receive the lifeline service they deserve, and on which they depend.”