Claonaig / Tarbert (Loch Fyne) - Lochranza
Headline route information
- Mainland port:
- Winter: Tarbert (Loch Fyne)
- Summer: Claonaig
- Island port: Lochranza
- Check-in-time: 10-minutes prior to departure for passengers and cars
- Crossing time:
- Tarbert (Loch Fyne): 1 hour and 25 minutes
- Claonaig: 30-minutes
- Vessels: MV Catriona
- Overnight berth:
- Winter: Tarbert (Loch Fyne)
- Summer: Lochranza
Introduction
The route between Claonaig in Kintyre and Lochranza provides the secondary route to Arran. In the winter months, the service reduces to one return crossing per day, operated from Tarbert (Loch Fyne, LF) rather than Claonaig, as part of a shared Tarbert LF – Portavadie service.
The winter Tarbert LF – Lochranza service is operated primarily for the conveyance of dangerous goods, which cannot use the Ardrossan – Brodick route when the closed deck MV Caledonian Isles is operating that route on her own. This service is limited to 12 passengers if dangerous goods are carried. Carryings are therefore very low between November and March.
Step 1: Route Service Level
The table below sets out the incremental ‘Route Service Levels’ which have been developed for this methodology:
| Level | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A | Shared single vessel, single crewed | Several routes in Orkney including: Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre; Stromness - Graemsay / Hoy; and Houton - Lyness / Flotta |
| B | Shared single vessel, with more than a single crew | Uig - Tarbert / Lochmaddy (summer, currently) |
| C | Dedicated single vessel, single crewed | Various 'small vessel' routes in the CHFS network, e.g., Sconser - Raasay, Tayinloan - Gigha etc |
| D | Dedicated single vessel with more than a single crew | Colintraive - Rhubodach, which uses a shift system to offer an extended operating day |
| E | Two dedicated vessels, each with a single crew | There are no routes with this operating model currently, Wemyss Bay - Rothesay being the closest |
| F | Two dedicated vessels, with one operating with more than a single crew | Several routes on the Shetland inter-island network, e.g., Symbister - Laxo / Vidlin |
| G | Two dedicated vessels, with both operating with more than a single crew | CalMac Ferries Ltd (CFL) Gourock - Dunoon route |
Please note, the operating day of a single crewed vessel is limited to the maximum hours that can be delivered by a single crew within the hours of work regulations and crew contractual agreements. More than a ‘single crew’ is where a small number of additional crew are added to the complement to extend the operating day. However, this falls short of a full extra crew.
Where the table refers to ‘more than a single crew’ (Levels B, D, F and G), this could be a small additional crew complement to extend the day or a full second crew. The crewing model will be described in the narrative which follows.
The table below allocates the Claonaig / Tarbert LF - Lochranza route to its relevant Route Service Level for both the winter and summer timetables, with commentary provided in the following sections.
| Timetable/Route Service Level | Level A | Level B | Level C | Level D | Level E | Level F | Level G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Summer | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No |
Categorisation of waters
The Claonaig / Tarbert LF - Lochranza route operates in ‘open seas’ and thus is governed by The Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) (Hours of Work) Regulations 2018. The provisions of this legislation are covered in Merchant Shipping Notice (MSN) 1877.
The key stipulations of MSN 1877 are as follows:
- On a sea-going vessel, the minimum hours of rest are:
- 10-hours in any 24-hour period
- 77-hours in any seven-day period (i.e., a maximum 91-hour week)
- The 10-hours of rest may be divided into no more than two periods, one of which is to be at least 6-hours in length
- It is also noted that, where a seafarer whose normal period of rest on board a ship is disturbed by a call-out, they should have a period of compensatory rest, as per Merchant Shipping Notice MSN 1877 (M) Amendment 1
The Claonaig / Tarbert LF - Lochranza route is operated by ships from the ‘Small Vessel’ fleet, with crew living ashore. The timetable is generally structured around the maximum number of hours that a single crew can operate on a daily and indeed weekly basis, in line with MSN 1877.
Length of Operating Day
Winter
The table below summarises the length of the operating day and week for the Tarbert LF - Lochranza service. For the avoidance of doubt, the table reflects the total hours of the vessel across the week over the Tarbert LF – Lochranza and Tarbert LF – Portavadie routes.
| Day | Start-Up | Sailing-Day | Close Down | Length of operating day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 1:00 | 11:10 | 0:20 | 12:30 |
| Tuesday | 1:00 | 11:10 | 0:20 | 12:30 |
| Wednesday | 1:00 | 11:10 | 0:20 | 12:30 |
| Thursday | 1:00 | 11:10 | 0:20 | 12:30 |
| Friday | 1:00 | 11:10 | 0:20 | 12:30 |
| Saturday | 1:00 | 11:10 | 0:20 | 12:30 |
| Sunday | 1:00 | 10:10 | 0:20 | 11:30 |
| Total | 7:00 | 77:10 | 2:20 | 86:30 |
In the winter, the crew are primarily based in Tarbert LF and the surrounding area, so will travel home at night. Any additional relief crew covering leave or sickness are provided with accommodation locally.
Summer
The table below summarises the length of the operating day and week in summer.
| Day | Start-Up | Sailing-Day | Close Down | Length of operating day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 1:00 | 11:15 | 0:20 | 12:35 |
| Tuesday | 1:00 | 11:15 | 0:20 | 12:35 |
| Wednesday | 1:00 | 11:15 | 0:20 | 12:35 |
| Thursday | 1:00 | 11:15 | 0:20 | 12:35 |
| Friday | 1:00 | 11:15 | 0:20 | 12:35 |
| Saturday | 1:00 | 11:15 | 0:20 | 12:35 |
| Sunday | 1:00 | 10:00 | 0:20 | 11:20 |
| Total | 7:00 | 77:30 | 2:20 | 86:50 |
The crew on this route in summer are relief crew that are largely based in Arran and travel home at night. It is therefore a different crew from that deployed in the winter, because the vessel overnights in a different location. Any additional relief crew covering leave or sickness are provided with accommodation on Arran.
Route specific characteristics
- As noted in the introduction, the primary role of the single return crossing between Tarbert LF and Lochranza in the winter months is for the conveyance of dangerous goods that cannot be carried on the closed deck MV Caledonian Isles. When the open deck MV Glen Sannox and MV Glen Rosa are introduced onto the Ardrossan – Brodick route, this requirement will be removed and the future form of the winter service may be reviewed
- A tidal timetable is operated on the Lochranza – Claonaig route on a number of days during the summer months (46 days in summer 2023). The timings of sailings are varied on these days but it is understood that the nine return sailings continue to be operated
Step 2: Analysis of connectivity
This section summarises headline connectivity in terms of the number of ferry connections provided and time on-mainland and on-island. The interactive dashboard includes further detailed connectivity analysis, including information related to onward connectivity.
Winter Connections
The table below summarises the first departure, last arrival, number of connections per day and time on mainland / island. It should be noted that time on mainland and time on island are calculated from published timetables.
| Sailing details | Tarbert - LF | Lochranza |
|---|---|---|
| Day | Mon-Sun | Mon-Sun |
| First departure | 12:15 | 13:45 |
| Last arrival | 15:10 | 13:40 |
| No. of sailings | 1 | 1 |
| Time on mainland | Nil | Nil |
| Time on island | Nil | 0:05 |
The winter service is a circa three hour round-trip, primarily for the conveyance of dangerous goods. There is no meaningful time on Arran as the vessel immediately turns around and departs and no day return sailing from Arran to the mainland on this route.
Summer Connections
In the summer timetable period, Lochranza has a dedicated vessel operating a full daily timetable to Claonaig in Kintyre. The tables below summarise the first departure, last arrival, number of connections per day and time on mainland / island:
| Sailing Details | Mon-Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|
| First departure | 08:15 | 09:30 |
| Last arrival | 19:30 | 19:30 |
| No. of sailings | 9 | 8 |
| Time on mainland | Nil | Nil |
| Time on island | 09:05 | 07:50 |
| Sailing Details | Mon-Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|
| First departure | 08:50 | 10:05 |
| Last arrival | 18:55 | 18:55 |
| No. of sailings | 9 | 8 |
| Time on mainland | 10:15 | 09:00 |
| Time on island | Nil | Nil |
The Claonaig – Lochranza route is operated on a consistent daily timetable, Monday to Saturday in the summer months. There are nine return sailings per day and the vessel overnights in Lochranza, providing a meaningful day return to Arran and even longer in Kintyre.
The Sunday service reduces by one return sailing, the first of the day. However, it still allows for almost eight hours in Arran and nine hours in Kintyre.
Connecting public transport
The interactive dashboard incorporates a detailed breakdown of onward connectivity from all ports on the network, including connecting bus and rail services and contour-based journey time mapping. Key headlines include:
- At Lochranza, the number 324 bus offers six connections per day to both Brodick and Blackwaterfoot. These are not ideally timed for the Lochranza service however as they are timed for services on the main route to / from Brodick
- The West Coast Motors service 448 calls at Claonaig on its route between Skipness and Lochgilphead. There are three services in each direction per day. The 12:36 and 16:36 services to Lochgilphead connect with the 12:30 and 16:15 ferry arrivals into Claonaig. The 12:16 and 16:18 services to Skipness connect with the 12:35 and 16:20 ferry departures from Claonaig
- The Tarbert LF connection in winter has very light foot passenger usage and thus onward connectivity is not such an important issue
The figures below show onward connectivity (drive times) by car from Claonaig and Lochranza. This is broken down to journey times of 0 minutes (in blue), 1-30 minutes (in green), 31-60 minutes (in yellow), 61-90 minutes (in amber) and 91-120 minutes (in red):
Step 3: Carryings, capacity utilisation and performance
This section sets out the key route headlines with regards to carryings, capacity utilisation and performance – described in the form of answers to questions. The data / charts underlying this commentary are included in Appendix A, and detailed route specific data, including sailing-by-sailing analysis, is provided in the interactive dashboard. The appendix covers the period to the end of calendar year 2022, as a full year of 2023 sailing-by-sailing data was not available at the time of its production.
What have been the key supply-side changes since 2014?
In order to understand recent route trends with regards to carryings, capacity utilisation and performance, it is important to record the primary supply-side changes over the last decade or so.
2014
- Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) was introduced onto the Claonaig / Tarbert LF - Lochranza route in October 2014. This led to the average passenger and car fares being reduced by 40% and 61% respectively (on the Lochranza – Claonaig route portion). This can be seen on page 15 of Transport Scotland’s Evaluation of Road Equivalent Tariff on the Clyde and Hebridean Network.
2017
- The new and larger hybrid vessel, MV Catriona, was introduced to the route
How have carryings changed over time?
- RET was introduced onto this route in October 2014, and passenger carryings thereafter grew very strongly prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing by 61% between 2014 and 2019. Passenger numbers have also fully recovered from the pandemic, standing at 101% of their 2019 level in 2022
- Car carryings grew even more strongly following the introduction of RET and, by 2019, were 84% higher than in 2014. Car carryings have also fully recovered their 2019 level, standing at 106% of their 2019 level in 2022
- As with many routes on the network, the reclassification of the length at which a vehicle is defined as ‘commercial’ from five metres to six metres when RET was introduced has led to a reduction in the number of CVs carried. There were 2% fewer CVs carried in 2019 than 2014.
- There was a significant spike in CV carryings in 2022, which were more than double their pre-pandemic level. This is likely due to sustained disruption on the main Arran route between Ardrossan and Brodick, with Claonaig – Lochranza being used as an alternative and providing resilience
- It should be noted again here that almost all carryings on this route are in the summer timetable period
How has reliability and punctuality changed over time?
- Both cancellations and delays on this route have been fairly steady over time. Since 2018, cancellations have generally been at around 4%-6% per annum, with around 1%-2% of sailings delayed
- It should be noted that, in proportional terms, cancellations and delays spiked in 2020. However, this route was effectively suspended during the pandemic, with only 230 sailings operated all year (compared to circa 4,000 sailings in a normal year). The number of cancellations and delays were therefore very low in absolute terms
Why are sailings cancelled?
- Adverse weather accounts for the vast majority of cancellations on this route
- It should be noted that Claonaig is not considered a reliable winter berth by CFL, which is one of the main reasons that the service is operated to Tarbert LF
Why are sailings delayed?
- Delays on this route are not particularly common relative to the number of sailings. The main causes of delay are adverse weather and knock-on delays from previous sailings
How many days per year do services operate to timetable?
- On average, around eight in every ten sailings days operate to timetable (i.e., all sailings on that day arrived on time)
- The summer Claonaig - Lochranza route is however very intensively operated, and a better measure here is the percentage of individual sailings operated to time. This has generally been around 95% when looked at over the last decade
How often has the vehicle deck been full or nearly full?
2014-2022
- Despite the strong growth in car traffic in last decade, vehicle deck capacity is not frequently an issue on this route
- That said, since the pandemic, around one quarter of all sailings have a vehicle deck utilisation of 75% or greater, with just around 15% of sailings being effectively full. The vast majority of these sailings are in the summer timetable period. This reflects the continued strong growth in car travel on the route since the introduction of RET
2022 by month
- This is effectively a seasonal route and thus capacity pressures are most keenly felt between April and September. The proportion of high utilisation sailings across these months is actually broadly similar, and the pronounced peak summer demand common on other routes is less prevalent here
- Between April and August, around one fifth of sailings are effectively full for vehicle traffic. Therefore, whilst capacity across the day may not be an issue, it is evident there are typically at least a handful of the 18 single sailings operated per day in the summer which are capacity pressured, with vehicles needing to wait for the next sailing. This can be viewed at sailing-by-sailing level in the dashboard
Forthcoming Changes
It is understood that although this route is within the scope of the CMAL Small Vessels Replacement Programme (SVRP), a large-scale procurement and replacement programme for the existing Loch Class fleet, it is not currently planned to deploy a new or cascaded vessel for this route as part of Phase 1 or to procure a new vessel as part of Phase 2. MV Catriona is a modern vessel with planned replacement as she approaches normal working life expiry.