Introduction

The Islands Connectivity Plan

The Islands Connectivity Plan (ICP) replaces the Ferries Plan 2013-2022 but is wider in scope, taking account of ferry services, aviation, and fixed links, as well as onward and connecting travel issues. The ICP comprises an overarching Strategic Approach paper - supported by a number of delivery plans - of which this is one.

The overarching ICP Strategic Approach paper, also being published for public consultation, will provide guidance and direction to the delivery of island transport connectivity. It sets out how island transport connectivity aligns with the ambitions of the Scottish Government and contributes towards meeting Scottish Government objectives as set out in the National Islands Plan and the National Transport Strategy.

The CHFS and NIFS services play a key role in supporting the economic, social and cultural development of those remote and island communities. This document sets out the Plan for the vessels and ports used by the CHFS and NIFS services and represents a key delivery plan for those services.

The Vessels and Ports Plan

The Scottish Government’s Infrastructure Investment Plan (IIP) (February 2021) stated that:

We will produce and maintain a long-term plan and investment programme for new ferries and development at ports to improve resilience, reliability, capacity, and accessibility, increase standardisation, and reduce emissions to meet the needs of island communities and give confidence on our ongoing commitment supported by investment of at least £580 million during the next five years [April 2021 to March 2026]”.

In addition, a further £115 million has been allocated for the construction of two new vessels to enhance the provision for the ‘Little Minch’ services.

The second Strategic Transport Projects Review represents the strategic case for investment by the Scottish Government in ferry vessel renewal and replacement in addition to progressive decarbonisation and for investment in port infrastructure to support that.

Stakeholder feedback has indicated the priority of reliability of vessels and resilience of services, a point reinforced in the recent report by the Scottish Government’s NZET Committee. This Plan, therefore, focuses on improving reliability by replacing vessels and renewing port assets based on age and condition. In addition, resilience will be improved through fleet modernisation and greater flexibility of the fleets. This draft Plan sets out the investment needed to maintain and safely operate lifeline ferry services and the recommended investment programme to deliver that. Delivery against the Plan will require decisions to be taken as part of annual budget reviews going forward. The Plan proposes an objective and transparent approach to “Investment Prioritisation” to guide those difficult prioritisation decisions, subject to the annual budget setting process.

Transport Scotland has developed this Plan in consultation with Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) and the ferry operators – CalMac Ferries Ltd (CFL) and Serco NorthLink Ltd (SNF). Engagement with a range of key stakeholders including local authorities, Regional Transport Partnerships, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS) and the Ferries Community Board for CHFS has also taken place. A pre-consultation draft of this plan was published on 30 December 2022 and shared with key stakeholders. This version has been updated in accordance with comments and views received from a number of these stakeholders.

Although we aim to finalise this Plan in 2024, the intention is that it is reviewed and fully updated every five years so that there is always a 20-25 year forward look. However, it also intended that the Plan is refreshed every two to three years to reflect changes – recognising that this Plan is dynamic, not static.

Context

There are currently 40 vessels deployed on the CHFS and NIFS services. Around half of the 53 ports on the CHFS network are owned by CMAL with the others owned by local authorities, trust ports and private companies. The five ports used by NIFS are owned by either local authorities or trusts. Please refer to Annexes B, C, D, and E for further details.

Every route is unique and provides an essential link for the community it serves. The shortest crossing on the CHFS network is between Colintraive and Rhubodach, a distance of less than half a kilometre. The longest crossing from Castlebay to Oban covers over 140 km and takes the MV Isle of Lewis around 5 hours to traverse. Aberdeen-Lerwick on the NIFS network is one of the longest route overall at 348 km and takes at least 12 hours, which necessitates the provision of overnight accommodation options.

The carryings on individual routes vary markedly, from very busy routes like Ardrossan-Brodick carrying almost 700,000 passengers in 2022, served by two major vessels in the summer months, to small passenger only or predominantly passenger routes like Gallanach – Kerrera and Gourock – Kilcreggan with 64,000 and 48,000 passengers respectively.

Of the 30 routes across the CHFS network, four routes combined accounted for over half of total passenger and car carryings in 2022. These are: Ardrossan-Brodick, Largs-Cumbrae, Wemyss Bay-Rothesay, and Oban-Craignure (accounting for 52% and 50% of passenger and car carryings respectively). Almost, 50% of commercial vehicle lane metres were carried by three routes combined: Kennacraig-Islay (19%), Ullapool-Stornoway (19%) and Ardrossan-Brodick (10%). 

The NIFS network consists of four routes and in 2022, 47% of passenger carryings and 58% of car carryings were attributable to the Stromness-Scrabster route.  The Aberdeen-Lerwick route accounted for 38% and 32% of passenger and car carryings respectively, with the remainder accounted for by Aberdeen-Kirkwall and Kirkwall-Lerwick. In terms of freight on NIFS, the Aberdeen-Lerwick route accounted for 60% of commercial vehicle lane metres, followed by Aberdeen-Kirkwall with a 24% share. 

The mix of carrying types also varies markedly between routes with some routes on CHFS carrying very high freight volumes such as Kennacraig-Islay. Whereas other routes such as Largs-Cumbrae slip have much lower freight volumes but similar levels of passenger and car carryings to Ardrossan-Brodick.

These characteristics will be assessed in detail for each route through the community needs assessment process, which will assess indicators around travel by island residents, leisure visitors / tourists, the island supply-chain, and service delivery. Both demand for the service and the role the ferry service plays in the life of the island will be considered, as well as the current services in terms of carryings, capacity utilisation, punctuality and reliability.

The findings of the community needs assessments will further strengthen the evidence base for future updates to this Plan and inform subsequent investment decisions.

As well as demand, the unique physical characteristics of the seas around Scotland also have implications for vessel design, The seas are relatively rough and -particularly on the west coast - are relatively shallow, which has its own challenges. As part of project design development, all issues are considered, such as wind and wave modelling data, potential vessel type, size and approachway. Swell and berthing forces are also considered, to ensure that both vessel and infrastructure interfaces at ports and harbours provide an optimum solution for ferry services to island communities.

Other ferry services in Scotland are the responsibility of local authorities and some others are operated commercially by private operators. Although not covered by this Plan, local authority ferry fleets face similar challenges to those facing the CHFS and NIFS networks. Those local authorities have undertaken, or are undertaking, similar appraisal and planning work in support of their own investment cases.