Campaigners from Skye have called for a review of consultation processes for determining ferry timetables and vessel deployments.
Sleat Transport Forum claim they are “dismayed” about the lack of clarity around summer timetabling for next year.
The group is also seeking answers around the future of the MV Coruisk – which was taken off the Mallaig to Armadale route last year and redeployed on the Oban to Craignure service.
The Skye route was covered by MV Lochinvar and MV Loch Bhrusda, which are unable to operate at low tide.
Now the forum has urged Scottish Government transport minister Humza Yousaf to review how communities are consulted about ferry issues, saying that business was lost in the area because of the “fiasco” of last year’s service.
The campaign group said it responded to a call for information about the 2017 summer timetable on July 12.
A spokesman for the group said: “The forum is dismayed that almost six months later there is no indication as to what the proposals for the Summer 2017 service on the Mallaig-Armadale route will be.
“We call upon the Minister to urgently intervene to ensure that passengers, coach operators, businesses and organisations can book travel arrangements for the summer season.”
The group has been backed by a cross party selection of local politicians, including MP Ian Blackford.
He said: “After the challenges of the 2016 season it is imperative that the communities served by CalMac feel that they have been adequately consulted and in the case of the Mallaig-Armadale route that we can be re-assured that appropriate, fit for purpose vessels will be deployed. I would welcome the support of the Minister to make sure this happens.”
MSP Kate Forbes said she was “alarmed” to hear of lost trade for local businesses – while Labour MSP David Stewart said it was time the Scottish Government “got a handle on this situation”.
A Transport Scotland spokesman said improved consultation was a condition of the new CalMac contract which began earlier this year.
He added: “This includes the creation of a new director of community and stakeholder engagement post and a communities board to better involve communities in investment and service decisions.
“In future, the consultation process with local communities will focus on exceptions and changes being proposed for a full year ahead, covering both summer and winter timetables at the same time.”
A CalMac spokesman said: “We are close to finalising timetables for summer 2017 and will publish them as soon as possible.”
