Businesses on two islands should be compensated for the tens of thousands of pounds they are losing due to serious ferry disruption at what should be their busiest time of the year, it is claimed.
The CalMac ferry Hebridean Isles, capacity 68 cars, has been taken off the Islay service since it was damaged in a collision with the pier at Kennacraig on the mainland 10 days ago.
It has left the ferry Finlaggan, which can normally carry 85 cars, alone on the busy route which also serves Islay's eight working distilleries. However it has been having trouble with the hydraulics which lower its mezzanine deck.
Islanders say the Red Princess, a freight vessel CalMac chartered to help carry cars, is slow and only takes around 20 vehicles. Motorists heading to Jura have to use the Islay service before getting a second ferry from Port Askaig.
The disruption has made it difficult getting cars on the ferry to and from Islay. Argyll and Bute MSP Mike Russell had to intervene to get a place on the ferry for a party of islanders heading to a family funeral.
He said: "Not only is the situation frankly intolerable, it is almost an annual occurrence now. The island has been left with a service reduced by about 50 per cent at this most crucial time of the year. So we must talk about compensation. Up and till now there has been an acceptance that these things happen. But they shouldn't happen every year. This could be disastrous for island businesses."
He said CalMac had been very good about helping the funeral party "But there is a local builders’ merchant due to get materials, the day the ferry went off. It is now a ten days, so building work has been delayed for that time. The cost must be astronomical. This is happening so often that we have got to start talking about compensation.”
Jack Fleming, chairman of the Islay and Jura Tourism Marketing Group said there had been disruption in each of the last eight years. "We are getting the reputation of being a difficult island to get to, and have direct evidence of people choosing not to come."
He said CalMac port and ship staff were "going above and beyond" to help. "But we have calculated that since the ferry went off we are around 2,000 cars spaces down. So there is no question businesses on Islay and Jura have been losing many thousands of pounds. We have one member of the group who lost £1,000 in the course of three days on cancelled bookings. "
He said the main haulier on Islay, who deals with the distilleries, normally had 12 shipments in a day, but that had been cut to five or six.
"We know of cases of people who have had to cancel their medical appointments on the mainland, adding to the stress they are under.”
Postmaster Alastair Redman who runs Portnahaven Post Office and newsagents and on the island's community council, said "Last year we estimated businesses lost £50,000 from ferry disruption, this year it will be at least double that."
Businesses and visitors have sent an open letter to Nicola Surgeon and the CalMac board, highlighting Islay's plight.
CalMac's operation's director, Drew Collier apologised for the disruption and said staff were working round the clock to get everyone to or from the island
“Passengers are being encouraged to travel without a vehicle if possible and if this is not an option, we are encouraging them to travel as foot passengers and their vehicle will be shipped separately."
Extra staff, minibuses and taxis had been hired to transport people to their destination and to collect their vehicle when it arrives on the island, he said.
“Our customer care team is contacting everyone travelling with us to outline their travel options."
Passengers experiencing disruption could claim out of pocket expenses, he said.
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: "Ministers have been kept up-to-date on the current situation with the MV Hebridean Isles and the subsequent impact on travel."
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