Tayinloan - Gigha
Headline route information
- Mainland port: Tayinloan
- Island port: Gigha
- Check-in-time: 10 minutes prior to departure for passengers and cars
- Crossing time: 20 minutes
- Vessels: MV Loch Ranza
- Overnight berth: Gigha South Pier
Introduction
The Tayinloan – Gigha route is operated year-round by the Loch Class vessel MV Loch Ranza.
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 |
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 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.
The table below allocates the Tayinloan - Gigha 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 | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Summer | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No |
Categorisation of waters
The Tayinloan - Gigha 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 detailed in the Merchant Shipping Notice, (MSN) 1877 (M) Amendment 1
The Tayinloan - Gigha route is operated by ships from the ‘Small Vessel’ fleet, with crew living ashore, in this case on the island of Gigha itself.
Length of operating day
Winter
The table below summarises the length of the operating day and week for the Tayinloan - Gigha service:
| Day | Start-Up | Sailing-Day | Close Down | Length of operating day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 0:30 | 10:20 | 0:30 | 11:20 |
| Tuesday | 0:30 | 10:20 | 0:30 | 11:20 |
| Wednesday | 0:30 | 10:20 | 0:30 | 11:20 |
| Thursday | 0:30 | 10:20 | 0:30 | 11:20 |
| Friday | 0:30 | 10:20 | 0:30 | 11:20 |
| Saturday | 0:30 | 10:20 | 0:30 | 11:20 |
| Sunday | 0:30 | 6:50 | 0:30 | 7:50 |
| Total | 3:30 | 68:50 | 3:30 | 75:50 |
MV Loch Ranza is operated by a single Gigha-based crew and can deliver the weekly sailing hours within the regulatory maximum. The crew work on a one week-on, one week-off basis (so two crews in total plus cover for leave, sickness etc).
For ‘core’ (i.e. route) crew, it is their responsibility to find local accommodation. CFL provides an allowance for pool crew when they must overnight away from home. There are very few ‘boatman’s houses’ remaining on the network, with crew generally booked into a hotel or B&B.
Summer
The table below summarises the length of the operating day and week:
| Day | Start-Up | Sailing-Day | Close Down | Length of operating day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 0:30 | 10:45 | 0:30 | 11:45 |
| Tuesday | 0:30 | 10:45 | 0:30 | 11:45 |
| Wednesday | 0:30 | 10:45 | 0:30 | 11:45 |
| Thursday | 0:30 | 10:45 | 0:30 | 11:45 |
| Friday | 0:30 | 11:45 | 0:30 | 12:45 |
| Saturday | 0:30 | 10:45 | 0:30 | 11:45 |
| Sunday | 0:30 | 7:50 | 0:30 | 8:50 |
| Total | 3:30 | 73:20 | 3:30 | 80:20 |
The winter crewing arrangement is the same as the summer, with a single Gigha-based crew delivering the timetable within the regulation hours.
Route specific characteristics
- A particular feature of this route is that the infrastructure and sea conditions at both Tayinloan and the slipway at Gigha do not allow for the vessel to safely overnight there. The vessel therefore berths overnight at Gigha South Pier, requiring a positioning run (‘dead leg’) at the start and end of the operating day. This ‘dead leg’ must be undertaken within the permitted crewing hours and thus must be accounted for when designing the timetable. This reduces the number of hours in which a service can be operated and accounts for the longer start-up and close-down time relative to some other Loch Class routes
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 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 | 07:35 | 09:30 |
| Last arrival | 17:55 | 16:20 |
| No. of sailings | 9 | 6 |
| Time on mainland | Nil | Nil |
| Time on island | 08:45 | 05:10 |
| Sailing Details | Mon-Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|
| First departure | 08:00 | 10:00 |
| Last arrival | 17:25 | 15:50 |
| No. of sailings | 9 | 6 |
| Time on mainland | 09:40 | 06:10 |
| Time on island | Nil | Nil |
Like many of the short routes on the network in winter, the Tayinloan – Gigha route is operated with a consistent Monday – Saturday timetable and a shorter Sunday. On this route, the service both starts later and finishes earlier on a Sunday.
It should be noted that time on mainland and time on island are calculated from published timetables and may differ slightly from the interactive dashboard, which is based on actual departure and arrival times.
Summer Connections
The operation of this route is not materially different in the summer timetable period outwith short extensions to the operating day. The tables below summarise the first departure, last arrival, number of connections per day and time on mainland/island:
| Sailing Details | Mon-Thur | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First departure | 07:35 | 07:35 | 07:35 | 09:30 |
| Last arrival | 18:20 | 19:20 | 18:20 | 17:20 |
| No. of sailings | 10 | 11 | 10 | 7 |
| Time on mainland | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Time on island | 09:10 | 10:10 | 09:10 | 06:10 |
| Sailing Details | Mon-Thur | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First departure | 08:00 | 08:00 | 08:00 | 10:00 |
| Last arrival | 17:50 | 18:50 | 17:50 | 16:50 |
| No. of sailings | 10 | 11 | 10 | 7 |
| Time on mainland | 10:05 | 11:05 | 10:05 | 07:10 |
| Time on island | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
The summer timetable is broadly similar to that of the winter but there is an extra sailing per day operated Saturday to Thursday. On a Friday, there is a further late afternoon sailing, departing Gigha at 18:30 and Tayinloan at 19:00.
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:
- There are no formal public transport services on Gigha
- Tayinloan slipway is served twice daily in each direction by the 449 bus between Lochgilphead and Campbeltown. The first arrival of the day at Tayinloan connects with a bus service in both directions. Return connections are slightly poorer, with a longer wait at the slipway
- The slipway is circa 0.6 miles from the A83. The Citylink 926 service calls at Tayinloan Post Office, adjacent to the A83, five times a day in each direction. This provides coach connections to Campbeltown and Glasgow, although a 0.6-mile walk along an unlit single-track road is required to get from the slipway to the bus stop
The figure below shows onward connectivity (drive times) by car from Tayinloan and Gigha. 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.
2012
- Whilst outwith the stated time horizon, it is worth noting that Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) was introduced onto the Tayinloan - Gigha route in October 2012. This led to the average passenger and car fares being reduced by 24% and 33% respectively, although these reductions were relatively small in absolute terms, as noted on page 16 of Transport Scotland’s Evaluation of Road Equivalent Tariff on the Clyde and Hebridean Network.
How have carryings changed over time?
- Passenger carryings had been growing strongly prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing by 16% between 2014 and 2019, having already demonstrated strong growth when RET was introduced in 2012. However, passenger numbers had not recovered their pre-pandemic level by 2022, standing at only 95% of their 2019 level.
- Car carryings grew particularly strongly pre-pandemic and, by 2019, were 45% higher than in 2014. Car carryings have fully recovered their pre-pandemic position, standing at 104% of their 2019 level in 2022
- Commercial vehicle (CV) carryings have been broadly stable in absolute terms over the last decade
How has reliability and punctuality changed over time?
- The number of cancelled sailings varies year-to-year, but there has been a steady growth in cancelled sailings since the pandemic. In 2021 and 2022, around 6% of all sailings were cancelled
- The number of delayed sailings also varies by year but on average only 1%-2% of sailings are delayed in most years, despite the relatively high frequency service on the route
Why are sailings cancelled?
- Adverse weather accounts for the vast majority of cancelled sailings on this route
- The only exception to this was in 2021 when over half of the sailings were cancelled due to an “Emergency”, which was related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, for example the requirement for crew to self-isolate on occasions
Why are sailings delayed?
- There is no single over-riding cause of delay. Delays are caused by a range of factors including weather, knock-on delays from previous sailings and the vessel being held for late traffic. However, it is worth reiterating that the overall number of delayed sailings on this route is relatively small
How many days per year do services operate to timetable?
- The route consistently operates to timetable on most days – with the exception of 2021 where there was disruption on the route, the service operates to timetable on eight out of ten days on average, and closer to nine out of ten days in some years
- The vast majority of sailings (circa 95%) operate to timetable. Even in 2021 when there was disruption on the route, 93% of sailings still operated to timetable
How often has the vehicle deck been full or nearly full?
2014-2022
- Despite operating with a relatively small vessel and with a strong growth in car traffic, vehicle deck capacity is rarely an issue on this route
- Around 15%-20% of sailings per annum have a vehicle deck utilisation of 75% or above, and it is likely that these are clustered at certain times of the day. However, given the frequency of the service, only 1-2 sailings per day on average demonstrate a high vehicle loading
2022 by month
- As is common across the network, the largest proportion of high utilisation sailings are between June and August. However, with nine sailings per day in either direction in the summer timetable period, capacity utilisation is not routinely a problem
Forthcoming Changes
It is understood that this route is part of the CMAL Small Vessels Replacement Programme (SVRP), a large-scale procurement and replacement programme for the existing Loch Class fleet. The timing of new vessels being introduced is unknown at present.