Islanders hope for new vessels as ferry review outcome looms
| The Herald Newspaper |
For island communities struggling against declining populations and economic isolation, ferry links with the mainland represent a vital lifeline.
So the forthcoming review of the ferry network, intended to deliver a long-term strategy for priorities and spending plans, has been greeted with considerable expectation - and some trepidation.
Paul Finch, associate director of one of the UK's leading transport consultancies, Faber Maunsell, reckons there is a difficult negotiation to be made between sustaining communities and paying for those ferry services. Subsidies from the government and councils amount to nearly £100m a year.
Surveying the population of nearly 100,000 people who are spread between the islands of Shetland, Orkney, the Inner and Outer Hebrides and islands of the Clyde, he points to the 3% population decline identified in the last census - a trend particularly dangerous on 37 of the 49 island groupings with populations of less than 1000.
"Given the cost of maintaining services and upgrading the ferry fleet, there is bound to be some conflict between the expectations aroused by the national ferries review and the ability to deliver enhanced services," he said.
"There doesn't seem to be any easily identifiable source of money and, without that, we could certainly see services being cut or downgraded."
The cost of maintaining services to remote islands is likely to be exacerbated, as there will be fewer passengers, with a knock-on impact on revenue from fares.
"It's vital that we take a holistic approach that understands the relationship between lifeline ferry links and the ability of islands to become sustainable," Mr Finch said.
Donald Manford, chair of the transport committee at the Western Isles council, said there had been "chronic underinvestment" in the ferry fleet over the past decade.
"Caledonian MacBrayne have been heavily criticised but really, they have been trying to get the best out of an ageing fleet.
"The last ferry review carried out by (former Labour Transport Minister) Sarah Boyack recommended replacing one ferry a year. There has been woeful neglect of the investment needed to upgrade the fleet.
"There is concern on the islands. The crunch point has arrived and we hope ministers realise the action that is needed."
A review of Scotland's ferry network carried out recently by Holyrood's transport committee highlighted a groundswell of public opinion supporting enhanced services among islanders.
As residents, academics and officials testified, changes to sailing times, fares and frequencies can make crucial differences to island life, enabling children to get to schools, ill people to hospital and essential items into shops.
Among the suggestions lobbied for were moving some crews and vessels from the mainland on to islands to enable earlier sailings and better synchronisation with the rail network.
The options are being explored by the Scottish Government's ferry team, who have spent months making their way around island communities to gather evidence that will inform the review. There is also likely to be a push for "innovative" reforms.
But while he supports innovation, Mr Finch points out the elephant in the room is the enormous cost of replacing the older vessels, particularly those operating the 30 CalMac routes to the islands of the Clyde and Hebrides.
The oldest vessels, such as the MV Canna, MV Raasay and MV Eigg, are the workhorses of the CalMac network but are now aged between 33 and 35 years - far beyond the 25-year limit deemed sensible to replace vessels.
Alistair Carmichael, the LibDem MP for Orkney and Shetland, added: "Nobody is suggesting that we don't build roads because of the economic downturn. For island communities, ferries are our roads, it's as simple as that.
"Ferry services are not a luxury, not an optional extra.
"Not replacing the older vessels is simply not an option."
Replacement options studied by Faber Maunsell put the cost at between £175m and £240m over the next five years.
Adding to the bill is the cost of upgrading port facilities to enable newer, bigger vessels to land.
CMAL, which owns the CalMac fleet, has ordered a new ferry which will serve Islay and has ordered the building of a £24.5m vehicle/passenger ferry, which is due in spring 2011.
A spokesman told The Herald that its ambition was to ensure that all its ferries are less than 30 years old.
