Reliability and resilience
The consultation paper noted that previous community feedback has highlighted that the reliability and resilience of ferry services needs to be seen as a high priority due to the impact on communities, businesses and visitors when ferry services are disrupted.
Question 7: Do you agree or disagree that the first priority of the Islands Connectivity Plan should be to improve reliability and increase resilience of ferry services?
Please explain your answer.
Responses to Question 7 by respondent type are set out in Table 11 below.
| Respondent | Agree | Disagree | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community Council, Development Trust or Transport Forum | 8 | 1 | 9 |
| Energy related business or group | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Ferry Board, Committee or Group | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Local Authority, RTP or CPP | 7 | 1 | 8 |
| Port or harbour authority | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Public Body | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Third sector or campaign group | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Tourism organisation or business | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Trade Union | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Other private sector business or group | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Total organisations | 37 | 7 | 44 |
| % of organisations | 84% | 16% | 100% |
| Individuals | 118 | 14 | 132 |
| % of individuals | 89% | 11% | 100% |
| All respondents | 155 | 21 | 176 |
| % of all respondents | 88% | 12% | 100% |
A substantial majority of respondents – 88% of those answering the question – agreed that the first priority of the ICP should be to improve reliability and increase resilience of ferry services.
Around 140 respondents made a comment at Question 7
As at earlier questions, a number of respondents commented on the importance of improving reliability and increasing resilience, including as the most important priority for the ICP. For example, a local authority respondent highlighted that ferry services to the Western Isles are the equivalent of roads and railways and the nature of these services requires that improvement in reliability and resilience is ranked as the first priority of the ICP.
However, there was also a view that, given its critical importance, reliability should be the minimum standard rather than the priority for a long-term plan. It was also thought important to acknowledge the extent to which it has declined over recent years.
Impact of unreliable ferry services
As context for just how significant the issue is for islanders, a public body respondent noted that Highland and Islands Enterprise (HIE) ‘My Life in the Highlands and Islands’ research (2022) found that 45% of islander respondents were dissatisfied with ferry reliability. This rose to 50% amongst Outer Hebrides respondents and 64% amongst respondents in Argyll and the Islands.
Returning to the current consultation, some respondents reported having difficulties in attending medical appointments, social and family events, further/higher education and business appointments. An individual respondent commented that the poor reliability and resilience of the ferry fleet is costing islanders dearly in financial, emotional and health terms.
Personal examples given included an Unst resident writing of being unable to leave the island much of the time due to lack of timetabled travel, weather issues, staffing problems on the ferry or all spaces being pre booked. Another respondent commented that the Kilcreggan-Gourock ferry gets cancelled so often in winter that it has had an impact on their attendance rate at university, and another referred to young families moving away from their island because of the unreliable service.
With specific reference to patients travelling to access healthcare at mainland hospitals, it was reported that fear of missing appointments is a real concern, and patients are often travelling much earlier to ensure they are on time for appointments and treatment. It was also reported that service disruptions are particularly distressing for disabled passengers when they get stranded and need to find accessible overnight accommodation, often at short notice. It was noted that there can be an impact on their medical and care plans, which can often involve several carers.
As well as the impact on the day-to-day life of people living on the islands, it was also noted that periods of disruption have created problems for hauliers. In relation to transporting goods onto islands, there was reference to goods taking longer to arrive, resulting in shorter shelf life, delays in work programs and extra costs for business. The impact on businesses sending goods off island was also highlighted and it was reported that those sending live shellfish and other items of a time-critical nature are among the commercial customers that have been impacted by the poor reliability and resilience on CHFS.
It was also suggested that there has been a significant impact on tourism to a number of islands, with a lack of resilience, reliability and capacity not only depriving island economies of visitor spending but also causing reputational damage to the tourism product.
Event participants’ views and experiences
Participants also highlighted the impact that unreliable ferry services can have on the lives of themselves, their families, and their wider community. Examples given included islanders risking being stranded when visiting the mainland for appointments. It was also noted that, for some islands, school children can be stranded on the mainland if ferries are cancelled during the day.
Although the primary focus was on ferries, participants from islands where flying is an option also reported issues with cancellations and unreliable services more generally.
There was also a view that unreliable transport services are one of the main reasons why younger people do not want to live on islands.
Vital role of reliable, resilient ferry services
Respondents often made the wider point that reliability and resilience of ferry services has an impact on the economic, social and environmental aspects of communities. Some respondents also made a connection to supporting geographical communities to grow and thrive; for example, a local authority respondent stated that reliable and resilient ferry services will contribute to the delivery of the Isle of Cumbrae and Isle of Arran Local Island Plans. There were also references to particular groups, with a public body respondent commenting that a reliable and resilient service is crucial to the holistic success of crofting communities.
Respondents commented that ferries often serve as the primary or sole transportation link for island communities, connecting them to essential services such as healthcare, education, employment, and access to food and other goods. It was therefore seen as crucial that residents can depend on these ferry services for these needs. It was also noted that, in times of emergencies, such as natural disasters or medical emergencies, ferry services may be the only means of evacuation or access to emergency supplies for island communities.
Reflecting this critical role, there was a call from a local authority respondent for an agreed definition, preferably set out in legislation, of a ‘lifeline service’. Other suggestions included that data on ferry use related to education, employment or health needs should be recorded to better understand customer needs.
Economic Impact
Improving reliability was seen as key to building greater confidence among tourists and businesses, leading to increased economic activity and investment. It was also suggested that increased confidence in the ferry service will be vital to attracting essential key workers to live on or travel to islands for work. As an example of the scale of the economic impact, a local authority respondent referenced a 2020 report on The impact of Covid-19 on the Arran economy.
For farms and crofts, it was reported that a reliable and resilient ferry service is required for access to markets and to receive essential deliveries for farm businesses – for feeding, fuel or contractors coming on to the islands. More generally, it was noted that a reliable ferry service can be fundamental to whether or not island businesses can continue to compete successfully in domestic and international markets.
An energy business respondent also highlighted a number of major development projects that are planned and argued that these will require a reliable freight service; it was reported that without a reliable service, there could be delays before and during the construction phase of projects which would add significant costs. It was also noted that any delays could have a potential impact on the project benefits to local communities and the money that is injected into the local economy. Examples cited included the Stornoway Wind Farm, the projected benefits of which include an estimated £1 million community fund. It was noted there will also be ongoing maintenance of these large windfarms and associated infrastructure, with personnel based on the islands.
Other factors
A number of other ways in which reliable ferry services are vital to the communities they serve were also highlighted, along with the extent to which many of these factors are interconnected. For example, some respondents referred to increasing cost of living pressures on top of an already fragile economic climate, and to unreliable ferry services exacerbating these problems. While unreliable ferry services were seen as contributing to decisions to leaving the islands, the corollary was that reliable ferry services are essential to retaining population.
It was also suggested that reliable ferry services play a vital role in fostering social cohesion and community resilience by facilitating social interactions, family visits, cultural exchanges, and community events; enhancing reliability helps strengthen the fabric of island communities and promotes a sense of belonging among residents.
Other suggested benefits of resilient and reliable ferry services included:
- Safety and well-being, by contributing to the safety and well-being of passengers and crew by minimising the risk of accidents, delays, and service interruptions.
- Environmental sustainability, by encouraging modal shift from private vehicles to public transportation, reducing traffic congestion, air pollution, and carbon emissions.
Aspects of ‘reliability’ to be improved
While many respondents focused on the problems resulting from unreliable services and the benefits of reliable services, there were also some comments about what a reliable service should look like. For example, improved punctuality was seen as important.
There were also references to weather conditions and cancellations. There was a view that CalMac has a risk-averse culture and that this is to blame for declining weather reliability. However, an alternative view was that it is sometimes a perception of ferry users that sailings can be cancelled when not justified by weather conditions, and that sharing information from weather monitoring systems should help to improve public confidence in operational decisions made.
Complementary or additional priorities
While sometimes agreeing that reliability and resilience of ferry services should be the first priority, some respondents did point to other changes or improvements that could help increase transport-related resilience overall. This included that fixed links, including tunnels, can be used 24 hours a day and are more reliable than ferries as they are less likely to break down. There were also calls to look at more opportunities for air services.
With regard to other priorities that may be as or more important than reliability and resilience, respondents were most likely to refer to capacity. Further points made tended to reflect those raised at Question 10.
Other suggestions included that the quality of the customer service, accountability, sustainable and integrated travel, or environmental sustainability are as or more important than reliability and resilience.