Comhairle Responds to Delay in Delivery of New Ferries

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s Chairman of Transportation and Infrastructure, Cllr Uisdean Robertson, has responded to the update from Minister for Energy and Islands, Paul Wheelhouse MSP, of the further slippage in delivery dates of the two ferries ordered from Ferguson Marine Engineering saying:

“The update from the Minister confirms what we already knew - the new ferries ordered in 2015 on a commitment they would be in place to provide desperately needed capacity on our ferry services in 2018 would in fact be at least 2 years late. Ferguson Marine must tell their client, but more importantly our island communities, exactly when these ferries will be in service. Scottish Government must demand this information, not only through their ownership of CMAL, but on the basis of the massive loans which they have given this shipyard. Everyone involved must work together. This is not an issue for political point scoring but for everyone to get together with a common aim of getting these ferries completed as quickly as possible and to establish a plan for overcoming the risks which an ever ageing ferry fleet poses to our lifeline ferry services.”