Furious Mull and Iona residents have branded CalMac’s proposed winter ferry timetable “inadequate” as the SNP were urged to provide clarity to locals.
Tory MSP Donald Cameron quizzed Jenny Gilruth over the “chaos and confusion” facing islanders with just a month to go until new sailing times are supposed to begin.
Under CalMac’s plans two vessels would operate the route for a period of winter, with the service then occasionally reduced to one ferry.
However, islanders have warned controversial new ship MV Loch Frisa is “too slow and too small” to cope with the demand for sailings alone.
Earlier this week the Mull and Iona ferry committee said: “It is completely unacceptable that our communities have been presented with such a poor timetable so late in the day.”
On Wednesday Ms Gilruth met with islanders and urged CalMac to review their planned schedules in a bid to find a solution to the ongoing uncertainty.
In parliament, Mr Cameron said: “I note today that the minister has asked Calmac to rethink its proposed timetable, but can she clarify when this will happen so that residents and communities on Mull receive urgent clarity?”
Ms Gilruth said she hopes CalMac will be able to provide an update for worried locals by the end of this week.
Joe Reade, who chairs the ferry committee, fears businesses may struggle to deliver supplies to the islands when Loch Frisa is sailing alone since it has less space for vehicles.
He said Ms Gilruth’s intervention was welcome, but criticised CalMac’s delay in presenting the timetable to locals.
‘Complete failure’
Mr Reade told the Press and Journal: “It’s like one minute to midnight. We would normally be discussing winter timetables in April.
“This is now five months late. It’s a complete failure of consultation.
“CalMac will say lots of fine words about looking after their communities but all too often in practice we’re the last people to be spoken to.”
Mr Reade criticised ferry owner CMAL’s decision to buy the Loch Frisa vessel in the first place.
Earlier this year islanders feared they were snubbed from the ship’s launch event due to their concerns over whether it could serve the route effectively.
SNP ministers have faced a torrid time over ferry fiascos this year, from delays in building vessels to complaints services are not good enough.
Two ships to serve Scotland’s islands – originally scheduled to be built by 2018 – are still under construction in Port Glasgow.
Meanwhile, Western Isles residents warned in March delays to services were risking jobs.
In June islanders warned Scotland’s “utterly chaotic” ferry system was forcing people to pack up and leave their home communities.
