“£9m to time charter a vessel for 9 months that cost £14m five years ago is an appalling deal for the taxpayer, let alone the long-term threat this creates to jobs, terms and conditions, pension rights and the stability of lifeline ferry services in the west of Scotland.” Mick Lynch, RMT general secretary
The withdrawal of the CalMac Service Mallaig, Oban and Lochboisdale in South Uist, from 5 April to 13 May was the subject of a heated exchange between MSPs from Scotland’s political parties and the new Junior Minister for Transport Kevin Stewart.
The MV Pentalina will be back serving the route from St Margaret’s Hope, Orkney, to Gills Bay on the Scottish mainland from the 18th of April
In 2020 OIC was given an extra £750,000 towards the cost of Nordic Sea which the council had bought at an estimated capital cost of £1,535,000. T
Why is Scotland so lacking in ambition that nearly a quarter of the way into the 21stC, ferry is still the only way for most islanders, mainlanders and freight to get to and from our islands ?
The awarding of the Northern Isles Ferry contract has been delayed again due to a legal challenge by CalMac Ferries Ltd.
The 8 year contract is estimated to be worth around £370m.
The contract, worth an estimated £370million, will run for eight years
“Making sure our ferry services support our island and remote rural communities remains at the heart of this exercise. “
