[Scottish Parliament, 20.06.2024] During a Members' Debate on 'West Coast Ferry Disruption and Replacement' in the Scottish Parliament today, Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston pressed Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, for an update on any potential extension of CalMac's hire of the MV Alfred, which is due to end on the 21st August.
Following the debate, Mr Halcro Johnston said:
“With the MV Alfred taken off her normal Pentland Firth route and sent to plug gaps on CalMac’s increasingly beleaguered West Coast network, Orkney has been left reliant on the older and smaller MV Pentalina.
“However, the contract between CalMac and Pentland Ferries, which has already been extended beyond its originally agreed 9 months, will currently end in August.
“Given the endless delays in delivering the new vessels ordered for the CalMac fleet, most notably the infamous MV Glen Sannox, I would imagine CalMac will at least be considering extending their charter of MV Alfred to cover any new delays.
“While the Cabinet Secretary would not say whether there had been – or were ongoing – any discussions on extending the contact, suggesting it was a matter for CalMac and Pentland Ferries, I would think it unlikely that the Scottish Government would not be involved in those discussions through Transport Scotland, or at least aware of them.
“I will be writing to CalMac for an update on whether a further extension is being considered and, if so, the details of any extension. And I would also expect them to be transparent about any additional funding the Scottish Government might be expected to provide for an extension, given the initial 9-month charter was priced at £1m per month.
“The MV Alfred has undoubtedly provided some much-needed resilience on the West Coast, as well as some respite to the delays and cancellations which have continued to plague those routes. However, its absence has also been felt in Orkney where it is supposed to operate.
“We are only months away from the end of the current extension and I think it is only reasonable that both CalMac and Scottish ministers are honest with island communities, both on the West Coast of Scotland and in Orkney, on what their plans are for the MV Alfred and whether a further extension is being discussed”.
ENDS
Notes to editor
Jamie Halcro Johnston MSP’s intervention in the Scottish Parliament can be viewed here: https://www.scottishparliament.tv/meeting/meeting-of-the-parliament-june-20-2024?clip_start=13:20:42&clip_end=13:21:11
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