2023 Calmac Ferry Crisis

[islaydarkblue]

I'd think they'd be pretty restricted in the number of 60 foot passengers they can take safely aboard. I'm only 5'10" but they can also only take so many my size.

You know that people travelling on Calmac ferries are classed as foot passengers.

[islaydarkblue]

Pony’s, tricks etc etc.

You should try living on a Scottish island served by the Scottish Government owned Calmac ferries. So will soon change your tune.

[Deeranged]

You know that people travelling on Calmac ferries are classed as foot passengers.

Come on Islay it was a joke - force a smile, you might even enjoy it.

[islaydarkblue]

Come on Islay it was a joke - force a smile, you might even enjoy it.

I thought that you were trying to be a smart Alec.
I have enough problems with noahrab posting comments which have nothing to do with this topic.

[BCram]

I'd think they'd be pretty restricted in the number of 60 foot passengers they can take safely aboard. I'm only 5'10" but they can also only take so many my size.

Great one liner Deeranged. Genuinely funny and on another Forum you would have got gold star from me.

[BCram]

I thought that you were trying to be a smart Alec.
I have enough problems with noahrab posting comments which have nothing to do with this topic.

You were right! He was being a smart Alec.

[BCram]

I think if the ferry service was good there would be complaints that the pace of island life was been changed with too many tourists etc. Maybe Calmac is really helping to sustain the slower pace of life in the islands. If the Greens had their way you would need to charter your own boat.

[islaydarkblue]

I think if the ferry service was good there would be complaints that the pace of island life was been changed with too many tourists etc. Maybe Calmac is really helping to sustain the slower pace of life in the islands. If the Greens had their way you would need to charter your own boat.

The Calmac ferry service was fine when we moved to live on Islay in August 2005.
The only time that the ferries were cancelled was when there was very stormy weather and that was for a maximum of 24 hours but often less.
Since the SNP took over the running of the Scottish Government in May 2007 the policy changed and new larger car ferries were not built to replace the large car ferries instead letting them continue to sail and basically ‘running them into the ground’.
Preparatory work for the MV Finlaggan had started long before May 2011 as my wife and I attended a public meeting in the Gaelic College, Bowmore Isle of Islay in August 2003 about the new Islay car ferry. It took 8 years until it was built and came into service on the Kennacraig to Islay route.
The MV Seaforth which came into service in 2015 on the Ullapool to Stornaway route was financed by Lloyds Banking Group and leased to the Scottish Government.
Several years later the Scottish Government in their infinite wisdom decided to pay off their leasing agreement with Lloyds Banking Group which meant that the Scottish Government were now responsible for the cost of the annual overhaul of the MV Seaforth plus any repairs.
Within a couple of months of the Scottish Government taking full and outright ownership of the MV Seaforth it suffered a major breakdown of one of its engines which required extensive repairs and it was out of service for several weeks.

[The AuldYin]

They're now saying today that the completion of the two ferries especially the second one break their own financial rules so they're simply gonna overrule the financial tests. Obviously it's not but I would have put money on that being illegal.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotla...-west-65601324

[BCram]

The Calmac ferry service was fine when we moved to live on Islay in August 2005.
The only time that the ferries were cancelled was when there was very stormy weather and that was for a maximum of 24 hours but often less.
Since the SNP took over the running of the Scottish Government in May 2007 the policy changed and new larger car ferries were not built to replace the large car ferries instead letting them continue to sail and basically ‘running them into the ground’.
Preparatory work for the MV Finlaggan had started long before May 2011 as my wife and I attended a public meeting in the Gaelic College, Bowmore Isle of Islay in August 2003 about the new Islay car ferry. It took 8 years until it was built and came into service on the Kennacraig to Islay route.
The MV Seaforth which came into service in 2015 on the Ullapool to Stornaway route was financed by Lloyds Banking Group and leased to the Scottish Government.
Several years later the Scottish Government in their infinite wisdom decided to pay off their leasing agreement with Lloyds Banking Group which meant that the Scottish Government were now responsible for the cost of the annual overhaul of the MV Seaforth plus any repairs.
Within a couple of months of the Scottish Government taking full and outright ownership of the MV Seaforth it suffered a major breakdown of one of its engines which required extensive repairs and it was out of service for several weeks.

Is there something that can be done to fix things? I think there is a mindset that harks back to the Thatcher years where the idea that Governments should not be responsible for the day to day running of public services. Privatisation was "invented". The principle was that the government would set the framework for the operators and hold to account the management of these privatised industries, should they fail to perform to contract.
I think it is strange that an avowed socialist/Marxist coalition in Holyrood are trying to operate the same system invented by Margaret Thatcher. The Deposit scheme for recycling bottles has been set up by creating a company to deliver the scheme. Its not possible to make Freedom of Information requests to this company, and I think the whole system of government we have in Scotland reeks of cronyism and corruption almost as much as Westminster.
Apologies for the digression but Calmac Ferries are a disgrace and an indication how our civil servants have completely failed to stand up to the Government minister responsible for making decisions about the Ferries.

Somehow it's now the Civil Servants plus the ruling political party versus the voters. No wonder Nicola is surprised by the feeling in the country about her. Nae buddie telt her. If only she had read Dundee Mad!