On busy Saturday 3 August 2024, CalMac ran 54 sailings from Largs to Millport Cumbrae Slip, 100% on time with no cancellations. Lots of folk turned up their cars without checking beforehand. There’s a bloody bus service from the terminal to Millport where there are two cycle hire shops and a flat road around this tiny island. Folk that are too bloody lazy to walk or cycle can sit in several bars on the front. Cars are a pain in the buttocks for all those trying to cycle with their weans.
On busy Sunday 4 August 2024, CalMac ran 46 sailings from Largs to Millport Cumbrae Slip, 100% on time with no cancellations. Lots of folk turned up their cars without checking beforehand. There’s a bloody bus service from the terminal to Millport where there are two cycle hire shops and a flat road around this tiny island. Folk that are too bloody lazy to walk or cycle can sit in several bars on the front. Cars are a pain in the buttocks for all those trying to cycle with their weans.
Martin Williams in the Herald writes as if CalMac is to blame for all this human failure.
CalMac has been warning about two hour queues to get to and from a Scots island popular with tourists as it was plunged into a new “crisis” with a fourth breakdown in a matter of days.
Scotland’s ferry fiasco is totally made up to help Anas.
Angry? Moi?
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Maybe that should read “Scotland’s ferry fiasco is totally made up to help An Ass”!!
JB
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I saw a bit of a programe regarding the ferry service Leverburgh to Berneray 2 hours but not a straight run good day maybe 5 sailings but often just 1 weather permiting so I suppose the yoons will call these cancelled in their figures,quite interesting.
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So is the implication from The Herald that we should all be pressing the Scottish Government to increase the public subsidy of CalMac’s Largs/ Cumbrae ferry service in order to have built-in redundancy – more than one vessel or a bigger vessel with investment in necessary bigger port facilities? All in order to cope with demand on a relatively small number of hot, dry summer days when car-borne tourists flock to Cumbrae.
Is there no local entrepreneur interested in running a shuttle bus service from the ferry slipway to Millport on these busy days so that tourists can leave their cars on the mainland and avoid long queues?
And it seems there is: ‘Millport Motors Ltd. was Incorporated in 1950 and has continued to be a family owned and operated public transport company for decades’.
For details see: https://www.millportmotorsltd.com
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Talking of Millport, I found this quite interesting…from 1906…….https://www.dalmadan.com/?p=624 When you click on the link it is the top search…..The Siege of Millport!!!
JB
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Fascinating JB. Holidayed in Millport every year from 1953 till 1967, but never knew of this event.
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Sorry….the link goes straight to the article……..a long read but if you have ever been to Millport ( we went their every year for our summer holidays in the 60’s) it is interesting…I promise!!!
JB
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The Herald and Martin Williams must to be getting paid to carry out these relentless attacks on Calmac – It’s not as if Cumbrae’s ferry service is of the slightest interest to the vast majority of the populace, and island residents everywhere are well used to the ‘busy’ season.
Someone with deep pockets has a financial interest in destroying Calmac’s reputation, hence Martin dutifully churns out the hyperbolic nonsense, ‘ plunged into a new “crisis” with a fourth breakdown in a matter of days ‘.
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I looked up the ferry service in Norway, don’t know if it’s state owned or even if it’s subsidised and to be honest in general terms it doesn’t give that much info, perhaps more in depth research would be necessary if you were planning a visit. What it does say right up front is that you get there early because you can expect long waits, looks like first come first served.
I happened to be in the room, some sort of travel program was on, Scottish presenter with an Arran resident, the usual complaints about the ferry service and I quote, ” we don’t want a time table, we want a service ” no elaboration on what kind of service which seemed like a fairly obvious line of enquiry for the presenter. Then a switch to Oban.
I can only go by my own personal experiences, and the service quite honestly has been terrific and I’m not sure how that could be improved. Mechanical things breakdown, but an operation that’s willing to fork out millions to hire a ferry as cover should be getting praised not lambasted and ultimately whether a ferry sails or not is down to the Captain and whether or not it is safe to do so.
Any Arran resident out there who can tell us what kind of service you think your entitled to from a country that already demonstrably provides the best and safest ferry service in the world?
Golfnut
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