Scottish Transport Statistics No 30: 2011 Edition

Table 9.15 Traffic on some other major ferry routes
Route 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Passengers thousands
Orkney Ferries1
Houton - Lyness/Flotta 63.2 64.7 63.6 71.1 77.7 75.4 74.8 74.2 76.2 76.0 78.8
Tingwall - Rousay/Egilsay/Wyre 55.1 54.0 54.2 60.3 61.7 58.7 58.6 60.5 55.0 60.6 58.8
Kirkwall - Shapinsay 57.0 61.7 60.9 64.3 64.3 63.8 64.0 65.0 65.2 69.9 64.2
Kirkwall - Westray/Stronsay 86.0 87.5 94.4 96.2 97.6 96.7 101.6 98.3 102.1 102.0 105.8
Stromness-Hoy/Graemsay 16.5 16.8 17.5 18.3 20.4 18.2 18.9 18.4 20.5 21.1 23.1
Total 277.8 284.7 290.6 310.3 321.7 312.6 317.9 316.4 319.0 329.5 330.7
Orkney Line (previously Orcargo)
Invergordon - Orkney 10 1.3 0.3  -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   - 
Western Ferries 2
Gourock-Dunoon 1,076.6 1,129.3 1,163.7 1,259.6 1,254.7 1,280.3 1,306.9 1,329.4 1,308.5 1,336.2 1,313.8
Argyll & Bute Council
Appin-Lismore13 26.2 27.5 32.5 43.5 56.1 35.7 29.5 39.1 40.2 39.0 38.2
Islay - Jura 58.6 63.6 62.9 62.7 66.2 67.7 73.3 71.6 72.4 69.1 65.8
Cuan-Luing 3,13 13.0 12.7 9.2 20.2 17.7 23.4 21.3 15.2 14.6 13.9 16.3
Seil-Easdale13 19.1 22.2 17.3 18.2 12.2 13.4 14.3 12.7 14.4 16.0 15.0
Total 116.9 126.0 121.9 144.6 152.2 140.2 138.4 138.6 141.6 138.0 135.3
Highland Council
Ardgour-Nether Lochaber
(Corran Ferry) 4  -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   - 
Camusnagaul - Fort William 5 8.9 8.1 7.5 5.8 6.0 5.6 7.0 16.7 1.0 3.9 4.4
Bruce Watt Cruises
Mallaig-Loch Nevis  -  2.3 2.1 2.4 2.5 3.0 3.4 2.6 4.9 3.3 3.0
Cromarty Ferry Company
Cromarty-Nigg 12.6 10.3 13.4 12.8 9.6  -   -   -   -   -   - 
West Highland Seaways (12)
Gairloch (Wester Ross) - Portree (Skye)  -   -   -   -  2.7  -   -   -   -   -   - 
Shetland Islands Council 1
Laxo or Vidlin - Symbister 136.8 138.1 146.2 141.2 154.1 146.3 169.2 177.5 170.9 166.2 164.0
Toft - Ulsta 211.0 216.1 229.7 221.9 232.1 238.8 245.0 256.0 248.8 264.4 272.0
Gutcher - Belmont 15 112.9 113.5 126.3 110.2 122.7 108.4 117.9 131.8 - - -
Lerwick - Bressay 6 185.8 180.7 206.3 194.5 213.0 196.8 207.9 206.8 214.4 205.9 189.0
Gutcher - Oddsta 15 20.4 20.2 23.5 19.3 23.4 18.4 20.5 23.5 - - -
Total 667.0 668.6 732.0 687.1 745.3 708.7 760.5 795.6 634.1 636.5 625.0
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport
Renfrew - Yoker 7 142.1 133.6 132.6 128.8 129.1 145.1 149.9 149.5 141.4 147.8 -
Gourock - Kilcreggan 8 .. 74.4 72.5 78.9 69.5 72.8 74.9 71.3 70.0 71.6 63.5
Total 142.1 208.0 205.1 207.7 198.6 217.9 224.7 220.8 211.4 219.4 63.5
P & O Scottish Ferries / Northlink Orkney & Shetland Ferries9,14
Aberdeen - Stomness (11) 20.8 18.5 21.1 - - - - - - - -
Aberdeen - Kirkwall (11) - - - 22.8 33.7 38.2 37.3 36.5 34.2 37 36
Aberdeen - Lerwick 60.0 61.5 65.6 75.4 95.1 101.4 102.6 102.4 101.6 105.9 112.4
Scrabster - Stromness 157.8 128.0 113.2 128.2 142.8 144.7 148.0 154.8 145.0 151.0 141.5
Lerwick - Kirkwall .. .. .. 14.2 17.0 16.6 16.4 14.0 13.9 14.6 15.4
Total 238.6 208.0 199.9 240.6 288.7 300.9 304.3 307.7 294.7 308.5 305.3
Total all routes  2,540.5  2,645.3  2,736.2  2,870.8  2,982.0  2,969.2  3,063.1  3,127.8  2,915.3  2,975.3  2,780.9

Source: Ferry companies - Not National Statistics
1. In addition to the routes shown in this table, there may be some other routes, which have less traffic, for which the number of passengers and vehicles are included in the totals for the operator which appear in table 10.13.
2. Passenger numbers prior to 1999 are based on paying passengers, but from 1999 numbers are based on a head count. There were 793,600 paying passengers in 1999.
3. Figures for 2000 and 2001 are estimates.
4. Although passengers are carried on the Corran Ferry, their numbers are not recorded because passenger travel is free.
5. Until 25 October 1999 this service carried pupils going to Lochaber High School. A bus service now operates to carry school pupils, which mainly accounts for the drop in passenger numbers from 1999 to 2000. Since 2006 this has carried pupils from Fort William who attend Ardnamurchan High School
6. Passenger numbers in 1999 are high because of special events such as the Tall ships race.
7. Figures relate to financial years which start in the specified calendar year (e.g. the 1998 figure is for 1998-99). Comparable figures prior to 1998-99 are not available, because before then the numbers of passengers were counted exclusive of zone card ticket holders (and therefore passengers who had a zone card were not counted). SPT no longer operates the Renfrew-Yoker ferry.
8. Since 2001 the Gourock-Kilcreggan route has been tendered by Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT), and operated under contract by Clyde Marine. The SPT changed it's name to Strathclyde Partnership for Transport in April 2006. It was a Caledonian MacBrayne route in previous years, so figures for 2000 and earlier years appear in table 10.14. Figures relate to financial years which start in the specified calendar year (e.g. the "1998" figure is for 1998-99).
9. P & O Scottish Ferries stopped operating these services on 30 September 2002 and Northlink took over the operating of these services on 1 October 2002.
10. This service ceased to operate from May 2001.
11. The Aberdeen to Stromness route changed to Aberdeen to Kirkwall in October 2002 but the figures provided by the company for 2002 did not distinguish between the two.
12. The Gairloch to Portree service operated by West Highland Seaways was withdrawn from 22 August 2004 but is expected to resume by 2008.
13. 2004 is the first full calender year of the electronic ticketing sytem and the statistics quoted for the Cuan, Easdale and Appin Services reflect the more accurate counting method.
14. Figures for 2003 onwards are on an October-to-September year e.g. 2003 figures are for Oct 02 - Sept 03.
15. Since 2008,there have been no fares charged on these routes.

Fig. 9.4 Orkney and Shetland Islands selected ferry routes

Table 9.15 (continued) Traffic on some other major ferry routes
Route 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Cars 1 thousands
Orkney Ferries 2,3
Houton - Lyness/Flotta 18.2 18.8 19.0 21.0 21.4 20.7 21.0 20.6 18.2 19.3 19.0
Tingwall - Rousay/Egilsay/Wyre 9.5 10.7 9.9 10.1 10.2 10.4 10.0 9.7 9.2 9.8 10.2
Kirkwall - Shapinsay 7.4 7.5 7.7 7.4 7.5 7.4 7.9 8.0 8.0 7.8 7.5
Kirkwall - Westray/Stronsay 16.3 17.4 19.7 21.1 21.2 21.1 21.0 20.1 20.9 21.1 21.4
Total  51.4  54.4  56.3  59.6  60.3  59.6  59.9  58.4  56.3  58.0  58.1
Orkney Line (previously Orcargo)
Invergordon - Orkney 6 0.9 0.2  -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   - 
Western Ferries
Gourock-Dunoon 451.1 482.1 504.1 549.2 553.4 571.5 577.8 602.0 588.0 584.0 564.2
Argyll & Bute Council
Islay - Jura 19.7 20.9 21.2 21.0 21.9 23.8 23.9 24.0 23.9 26.5 23.9
Cuan-Luing 4,8 25.0 21.0 9.2 14.3 8.8 16.3 10.9 7.6 7.7 7.2 7.0
Total  44.7  41.9  30.4  35.4  30.7  40.1  34.8  31.6  31.6  33.7  30.9
Highland Council
Ardgour-Nether Lochaber
(Corran Ferry) 211.2 212.8 235.4 247.5 254.9 247.6 234.2 252.4 245.0 249.4 221.4
Cromarty Ferry Company
Cromarty-Nigg 3.8 3.4 3.7 3.8 3.3  -   -   -   -   -   - 
Shetland Islands Council 2
Laxo or Vidlin - Symbister 55.9 58.5 61.9 62.6 68.4 63.2 73.2 76.4 73.3 74.3 72.2
Toft - Ulsta 94.3 99.4 106.5 104.1 107.7 112.9 115.4 119.6 116.7 123.8 129.2
Gutcher - Belmont 10 48.6 52.3 58.3 53.0 59.4 50.7 56.4 65.8  -   -   - 
Lerwick - Bressay 55.1 54.3 65.0 64.9 65.8 62.5 65.5 69.6 67.9 67.5 66.4
Gutcher - Oddsta 10 8.7 8.7 10.2 8.8 11.2 8.1 9.9 11.4  -   -   - 
Total  262.5  273.2  301.9  293.4  312.5  297.4  320.4  342.9  257.9  265.6  267.8
P & O Scottish Ferries/ Northlink Orkney & Shetland Ferries 5,9
Aberdeen-Stromness 7 3.1 2.9 3.6  -   -   -   -   -   -   -   - 
Aberdeen - Kirkwall 7 - - - 3.9 4.9 5.4 5.4 5.4 4.9 5.3 4.9
Aberdeen-Lerwick 11.7 11.4 12.6 14.5 16.4 17.0 16.9 15.7 16.7 16.7 17.4
Scrabster-Stromness 47.1 37.5 33.6 38.1 40.5 41.9 44.0 46.2 43.9 43.5 39.4
Lerwick - Kirkwall  -   -   -  2.4 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.4 2.3 2.3 2.4
Total  61.9  51.8  49.8  58.9  64.5  67.0  69.1  69.7  67.8  67.8  64.1
Total all routes  1,086.6  1,119.6  1,181.6  1,247.7  1,279.6  1,283.2  1,296.2  1,357.0  1,246.6  1,258.5  1,206.5

Source: Ferry companies - Not National Statistics
1. Routes which do not carry cars are not shown in this table.
2. In addition to the routes shown in this table, there are some other routes, which have less traffic, for which the number of passengers and vehicles are included in the totals for the operator which appear in table 10.13.
3. Separate figures for cars/buses and commercial vehicles are only available for some Orkney Ferries services for recent years. Prior to that, only the total number of vehicles carried is available.
4. Figures for 2000 and 2001 are estimates.
5. P & O Scottish Ferries stopped operating this service on 30 September 2002. and North Link took over the operating of this service on 1 October 2002.
6. This service ceased to operate from May 2001.
7. The Aberdeen to Stromness route changed to Aberdeen to Kirkwall in October 2002 but the figures provided by the company for 2002 did not distinguish between the two.
8. 2004 is the first full calender year of the electronic ticketing sytem and the statistics quoted for the Cuan service reflects the more accurate counting method.
9. Figures for 2003 onwards are on an October-to-September year e.g. 2003 figures are for Oct 02 - Sept 03.
10. Since 2008,there have been no fares charged on these routes.

Figure 9.5 Top passenger ferry routes within and to/from Scotland, 2010

Figure 9.5 Top passenger ferry routes within and to/from Scotland, 2010

Figure 9.6 Top car ferry routes within and to/from Scotland, 2010

Figure 9.6 Top car ferry routes within and to/from Scotland, 2010

Table 9.15 (continued) Traffic on some other major ferry routes
Route 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Commercial Vehicles and Buses 1 thousands
Orkney Ferries 2,3
Houton - Lyness/Flotta 2.5 2.8 2.7 2.7 3.2 2.9 2.8 2.7 4.9 5.3 5.4
Tingwall - Rousay/Egilsay/Wyre 4.3 4.3 4.5 5.5 5.7 5.4 5.4 6.1 4.7 6.7 6.7
Kirkwall - Shapinsay 2.3 2.6 2.1 2.9 3.3 3.3 3.1 3.0 3.6 4.7 4.7
Kirkwall - Westray/Stronsay 9.9 10.3 9.3 9.1 10.1 11.7 11.8 11.0 11.7 12.7 13.8
Total 19.0 20.0 18.6 20.2 22.3 23.3 23.1 22.8 24.9 29.4 30.6
Orkney Line (previously Orcargo)
Invergordon - Orkney  6 4.0 1.0  -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   - 
Western Ferries
Gourock-Dunoon 11.8 10.9 17.3 4 29.1 4 32.8 35.3 33.7 33.0 32.2 33.8 33.0
Argyll & Bute Council 9
Islay - Jura 3.0 5.7 4.5 3.6 3.8 3.8 4.9 4.7 4.6 2.5 2.6
Cuan-Luing 9  -   -   -   -  0.5 1.1 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3
Total  3.0  5.7  4.5  3.6  4.3  4.9  5.1  5.0  4.9  2.8  2.9
Highland Council
Ardgour-Nether Lochaber
(Corran Ferry) 5.9 7.6 8.8 9.1 11.3 10.3 10.0 9.8 17.1 16.9 14.4
Shetland Islands Council 2
Laxo or Vidlin - Symbister 4.2 3.6 4.2 3.0 3.5 3.0 3.5 3.9 3.6 3.3 4.0
Toft - Ulsta 10.9 11.2 11.5 11.0 11.5 10.2 10.0 9.8 9.8 10.3 7.3
Gutcher - Belmont 12 5.9 5.2 4.9 3.8 4.5 4.4 4.0 4.8 - - -
Lerwick - Bressay 4.2 3.5 4.1 2.8 4.3 4.5 3.8 2.0 2.2 2.0 3.7
Gutcher - Oddsta 12 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 1.2 0.3 0.5 0.3 - - -
Total  25.8  23.9  25.1  21.0  25.0  22.4  21.8  20.7  15.6  15.6  15.0
P & O Scottish Ferries / Northlink Orkney & Shetland Ferries  5,8,10,11
Aberdeen - Stromness  7  -  2.4 2.1  -   -   -   -   -   -   -   - 
Aberdeen - Kirkwall  7  -   -   -  0.0 0.1 0.1  -   -   -   -   - 
Aberdeen - Lerwick  -  12.0 10.3 0.2 0.2 0.2  -   -   -   -   - 
Scrabster - Stromness  -  7.6 4.8 0.2 0.3 0.2  -   -   -   -   - 
Lerwick - Kirkwall  -   -   -  0.1 0.0 0.0  -   -   -   -   - 
Total  -   22.0  17.2  0.5  0.5  0.5  -   -   -   -   - 
Total all routes  66.5  85.4  87.0  79.9  92.0  91.8  88.6  86.3  89.8  95.7  93.0

Source: Ferry companies - Not National Statistics
1. Routes which do not carry commercial vehicles or buses are not shown in this table.
2. In addition to the routes shown in this table, there are some other routes, which have less traffic, for which the number of passengers and vehicles are included in the totals for the operator which appear in table 10.13.
3. Separate figures for cars/buses and commercial vehicles are only available for some Orkney Ferries services for recent years. Prior to that, only the total number of vehicles carried is available.
4. The operator indicated that this figure may not be directly comparable with previous years.
5. P & O Scottish Ferries stopped operating this service on 30 September 2002 and North Link took over the operating of this service on 1 October 2002.
6. This service ceased to operate from May 2001.
7. The Aberdeen to Stromness route changed to Aberedeen to Kirkwall in October 2002 but the figures provided by the company for 2002 did not distinguish between the two.
8. Only coaches and mini-buses are included under this heading for 2003.
9. 2004 is the first full calender year of the electronic ticketing sytem and the statistics quoted for the Cuan service reflects the more accurate counting method.
10. The figures for 2003 and 2004 are on a calendar year basis.
11. The number of vehicles are no longer available due to a change in the method of collecting the data.
12. Since 2008,there have been no fares charged on these routes.