I was delighted to attend the Islay Community Ferry Committee yesterday to hear the latest operational report from Simon Richmond the CalMac Area Operations Manager.

Passengers are facing widespread disruption on Scotland’s ferry network after CalMac warned of potential breakdowns and delays due to its increasingly ageing fleet. Islay, Harris and Uist have already been hit by disruption, with the Hebridean Isles, one of two ferries that normally serve Islay, already withdrawn to work on the Tarbert and Lochmaddy routes.

This comes on the first weekend of CalMac’s summer timetables and the peak tourist period this year which is set to be a severe test for the 32 ferries that serve 51 ports on 49 routes. These delays and disruptions are costing the Kintrye and Islands ward and the rest of Argyll dearly in massive loss of tourist revenue along with costly disruptions to our vast exports from distilleries, farms, fisheries and other fast growing industries.

Our Island and mainland communities depend heavily on our ferry service and it is essential that regular sailings are reliably maintained. I will continue to press for more sailings across my ward - particularly in our busier seasons.

Cllr Alastair Redman