Scottish Ferry Services: Ferries Plan (2013-2022)
SOUTHERN HEBRIDES
ISLAY & JURA
Current Service Provision
125. Islay has two ferry routes linking Kennacraig (located on the north-west coast of the Kintyre peninsula) with Port Askaig and Port Ellen. This is a popular route with approximately 175,000 passenger, 55,000 non-commercial vehicle and 10,000 commercial vehicle trips made during the calendar year 2011.
126. Currently two vessels operate the route including the MV Finlaggan (from summer 2011). The journey time takes between two and two-and-a-half hours. During the summer time-table period there are four sailings per day from a Monday to Saturday, and three on a Sunday, from either Port Askaig or Port Ellen. The majority of services, around three in every four, arrive and depart from Port Ellen. The first service is typically around 7 am with the last service leaving around 6 pm. During the summer time-table period Islay also benefits from a return sailing on a Wednesday from Port Askaig, via Colonsay, to Oban. The winter time-table is broadly comparable.
127. A shuttle passenger and vehicle service links Jura residents with Port Askaig and mainland ferry services. This service is currently provided by the Local Authority.
Assessment of Current Service Provision
128. Our needs-based assessment of the mainland services from Islay has indicated that the existing service already meets the needs of the community and should therefore be retained at its current level.
129. We did not have sufficient information to carry out a full needs based assessment for Jura. However, we recognised that as the ferry service runs to Islay, there is a need to consider the level of accessibility available between Jura and Islay. We identified two cost effective options:
- (a) for onward travel only to the Scottish mainland, Jura residents would qualify for free travel between Jura and Islay, and;
- (b) a rebalancing of service provision from Port Ellen to Port Askaig, on the basis that the latter is much more centrally located for Islay and Jura.
Future service Provision
130. The intention is to move forward with the first proposal, to offer zero cost fares when the journey includes onward travel to and from the Scottish mainland. This was broadly welcomed by Jura residents in the Draft Ferries Plan consultation. This proposal is dependent on the outcome of the discussions with Argyll & Bute Council about transferring responsibility for their Local Authority ferry services to Scottish Government.
131. The proposal to shift service provision from Port Ellen to Port Askaig was also welcomed by Jura residents but attracted significant opposition from many residents of Islay. Around three-quarters of Islay residents that responded to the consultation disagreed with this proposal expressing concern about the potential impact on the local economy and journey times.
132. We have been mindful of this representation from Islay. But we also are required to balance this against the needs of residents of Jura. We have concluded that rather than a significant rebalancing of services from Port Ellen to Port Askaig, the intention would be to shift one service per week on a Saturday. This change is the direct consequence of our proposals for Colonsay (see below) and will apply for the summer period only. As well as improving services to Colonsay by providing an additional sailing day, it also marginally improves accessibility for residents of Jura without significantly changing the current balance of services between Port Askaig and Port Ellen.
COLONSAY
Current Service Provision
133. Colonsay is served by a single vessel service that connects the island with Oban. The journey takes around two-and-a-half hours. There is one service per day during the summer time-table period except on a Saturday. On a Monday the sailing is from Oban to Colonsay only. (It is not possible to leave and return to Colonsay on the same day, except on a Wednesday when it is possible to spend only a very short time on the mainland). Colonsay also benefits from a second sailing on a Wednesday when the Islay service calls in as a stopping point to Oban. The service drops substantially during the winter time-table period. During this period there are three sailing days, on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday from Oban. From winter 2012, the Saturday service from Islay, via Colonsay to Oban will run for the entire winter time-table period.
Assessment of Current Service Provision
134. Our needs-based assessment tool allows us to make an evidence-based assessment of current services for Colonsay. Although the key difference between the current and model service profiles is the number of sailing days during the winter time-table period, this position will as noted above improve for winter 2012. There are now four sailing days during the winter time-table period. There is also a requirement for a seven day service during the summer; currently it is six days (with the Monday service to Colonsay but not leaving Colonsay). The assessment also noted that it was not possible to make a meaningful day return trip to the mainland from Colonsay and that this should be made possible.
Future Service Provision
135. The Draft Plan consulted on three proposals (a) an additional sailing day during the summer time-table period (b) the possibility of a meaningful return trip to the mainland also during the summer period, and (c) to work towards an increase in the number of sailing days during the winter time-table period. These proposals were broadly welcomed, although very few responses were received from the actual residents of Colonsay.
Short-Term - summer 2013
136. As a temporary step we will for the summer months introduce a service on a Saturday from Colonsay, via Islay, to Kennacraig. This will be the second sailing out of Kennacraig to Islay, going via Port Askaig rather than Port Ellen. A service to Kennacraig is already provided during the winter months on a Saturday.
137. For services to Oban, the commitment for an additional sailing day in the summer and sailing days in the winter is not possible in the short-term. At present Colonsay does not have a dedicated vessel service - the summer time-table period is provided by the Lord of the Isles (LOTI) and the winter period by the Isle of Mull. Therefore no progress can be made with the existing vessel configuration without disadvantaging other communities.
Medium-Term - (within the period of the interim CHFS contract)
138. The medium term proposal envisages the current ro-ro vessel for the Small Isles being reassigned to provide an all year service dedicated vessel for Colonsay. The impact of this will mean an increase in the number of sailing days from four to six during the winter time-table period and a seven day service during the summer. It is envisaged that the time-table for the summer period only will include a day per week where it will be possible to make a return journey to Oban, with a reasonable stop-over period, in one day. This will not be possible in the winter because of constraints on berthing outside daylight operating hours.
GIGHA
Current Service Provision
139. Gigha is served by a single ferry service that links the main settlement at Ardminish with Tayinloan on Kintyre. The crossing takes around 20 minutes. In 2011 there were approximately 60,000 passenger, 13,000 non-commercial vehicle and 1,400 commercial vehicle trips made.
140. The service runs seven days per week. In the summer time-table period a frequent service operates from early morning, 8.30 am. During school term time an earlier service operates from 7.35 am to late afternoon, with the last sailing at 5.30 pm. A later sailing at 6.30 pm operates on a Friday only. The number of services is reduced on a Sunday and the length of the operating day is truncated. The winter time-table service is broadly comparable.
Assessment of Current Service Provision
141. Our routes and services needs-based assessment tool allows us to make an evidence-based assessment of current services for Gigha. The key difference between the current and model service profiles is the length of the operating day during the summer time-table period. Currently, services are suspended late afternoon. The model service profile envisages that services would continue much later into the late evening.
Future Service Provision - Long-Term
142. The Draft Plan consulted on a proposal to make improvements to the Ardminish facilities to allow the vessel to be permanently berthed at this location. This would improve the operational time of the vessel, some of which is currently used to position the vessel at its start point (at present the vessel is stationed on the south point of the island). This is confirmed as the proposal for Gigha. The proposal is dependent on new physical infrastructure and will be considered as a long-term initiative.