By Professor John Robertson, Genuine Ferry Correspondent
From Jonathon Brocklebank of the ‘Scottish’ Daily Mail, today:
People rely on the ferries to get on and off Arran. But the SNP’s ruinous handling of our lifeline service means that it is simply no longer fit for purpose
Here’s what he missed:
First, The MV Caledonian Isles was taken off the Arran/Ayrshire (Ardrossan or Troon) service and replaced by the MV Alfred to partner the MV Isle of Arran. There has been 1 cancellation, with these two vessels in the last 100 sailings – 99% reliable.
https://www.calmac.co.uk/calmac-performance-data-browser?date=27%2F09%2F2024
The brand new MV Glen Sannox has already been able to berth in Brodick with a view to replacing the MV Arnold in December 2024.
Second, Arran islanders benefit from massively under-used, apparently far from ‘lifeline’ ferry service
In a year, CalMac makes around 4 000 sailings (not inc cancellations) between Ardrossan and Brodick.1
In 2022, they carried 692 518 passengers and 183 092 cars.2
So on average, each sailing took around 173 passengers and 45 cars.
The MV Caledonian Isles, operating the route in 2022, takes up to 1 000 passengers and 110 cars.3
So, accepting the ferry may well full in high summer even with increased sailings, this suggests quite a lot of spare capacity in the system, massively subsidised for a population of only 5 000.
Sources:
- https://www.calmac.co.uk/article/2607/Route-Performance–CalMac-Ferries
- https://www.calmac.co.uk/article/9241/Carrying-Statistics-2022—text-version
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Caledonian_Isles
Third, Arran ferry credited with enabling massive tourism boost
In 2022 (latest data), Ayrshire and Arran saw 630 000 overnight visitors and 4.2 million UK day-trippers, 2.11 million nights were spent in accommodation and £345 million was spent.
Around one quarter of those reported using a ferry. There is only one ferry route from Ayrshire – to Arran.
So, a very significant part of the above benefits are gained by Arran, population only 5 058 out of 369 360 in Ayrshire and Arran.
To quote Anonymous:
How the hell did most of these people travel over to Arran?
There’s only one way, barring a tiny plane or your daddy’s yacht – CalMac Ferries.
But, wait aren’t they too infrequent and unreliable ? The media and some politicians insist they are.
Anytime, I look, it’s 10 sailings a day, 100% on time and rarely one or two sailings cancelled, often for high winds, but never ‘cut-off.’
In May 2024, I did a quick survey of all CalMac ferries and found from the 1st to the 28th May 2024, across its 50 or so routes with 34 vessels, CalMac averaged 98.8% on time. The Arran crossing hit nearly 100%.
Tourism in Ayrshire & Arran generates a direct economic impact of over £355 million and a total economic impact of over £470 million. The industry supports 9,475 Full-Time Equivalent jobs.
Should islanders be grateful? From Golfnut in August 2024:
The current 2 ship service dates back to 2004 and that service provision would have quickly disappeared had the Scottish government not introduced subsidies which 1, kept the service provision viable and 2, made the the service affordable to the islanders and tourists. This applies across the fleet with some destinations barely washing their face financially.
The much abused phrase ‘ lifeline service ‘ applies to the provision provided by the Scottish Government, because without those subsidies that life line service for a lot of islanders wouldn’t exist.
Sources:
https://www.visitscotland.org/research-insights/regions/ayrshire-arran
https://www.ayrshire-arran.org/
Finally, Why the people of Arran should be delighted with the best ferry service in the world
In the Herald today, regular contributor, Neil Arthur (78), well-known Arran Ferry Committee member and strangely blind to the far better service than the one he seems to remember as a boy, is allowed to suggest:
It’s clear that Scotland’s ferries system is broken beyond repair
I’ll say it again, CalMac is running the world’s best ferry service for cost, reliability and safety.
Proof – read these:
For the fully-sourced facts, see: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/?s=CalMac
For the fully-sourced facts, see: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/?s=CalMac
For the fully-sourced facts, see: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/?s=CalMac
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Arran 5,000 people. 10 ferries a day, subsidised transport. Better than some bus services.
70,000 islanders. 34 ferries. 6 on order. Two innovative saving £Billions on fuel. One ferry per 2,000 people. Subsides ferries and flights. Better than some bus services.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Why are the MSM, various politicians and many unionists so hell bent on ruining the tourist trade in Scotland? Probably for the same reason as they run down our other services, Education, the NHS and Police Scotland, not forgetting HR itself – they see that as the biggest, most expensive failure.
They seem to think the answer to these perceived failures is to hand back governmental control to WM. This has been voiced often on X and it’s getting louder. The ‘landslide’ victory of Labour in Scotland had handed the UK government the perfect stick with which to beat us. These new loyal wee soldiers are twittering every day about pollution of our seas and rivers ( in an attempt to drag us down to UK level), rubbishing our NHS and begging their colleagues in WM to bring it down to their abysmal level and posting selfies to prove how busy they are. It’s nauseating but it has the unwavering support of the parent party.
These people are on a high. They see themselves instrumental in the return of HR to Labour control with Sarwar as FM in 2026. Or maybe before that – budget day will tell if the Labour Party in Scotland’s leader is all mouth and no substance.
LikeLiked by 1 person
For one kg, I don’t have to wait for Budget Day. They, the so-called “leaders”, puppets would be a better description, in Scotland, of English political parties, will undoubtably oppose anything the Scottish Government will propose. Why? Because the sole purpose for their existence is to keep the Scottish people under Westminster’s boot. Nothing more, nothing less, because the English Parliament know full well, that without the wealth that our country provides, they would, quite rightly, be a busted flush, even more than they are at the moment.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I agree. BUT are they ready for government? Or will they wing it knowing that they have the broad shoulders of their gaffer in London to prop them up? Either way it depends on how much the voters who decided Labour was their best option regret their decision and it looks like Starmer still has to do a bit more to sicken them since they are STILL voting anything but SNP in local elections. Politics is a weird place in 2024 – let’s hope things change drastically before 2026 or we can kiss independence bye bye.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Propaganda works it’s why the Brit state deploys it and that will be ratcheted up some, like we have never seen before in the run up to the 2026 Scottish election, they are soo not going to allow people facts and figures so they can make an informed choice about who they want their own country governed by, maybe a bad idea perhaps voting for parties HQ’d in London, in the country next door.
The onslaught of misinformation and disinformation is by design and now with the er regime change in the US yikes, Scotland, with no control over the ‘media’ etc, is in really deep doo doo unless, people make every effort to debunk the BritNat lies at every opportunity, and that goes for the SNP MSP’s and SNP MPs. No being nice, tell it like it is and even more so, paint a picture of just how catasrophic it will be if folks vote for the country next door political parties (Labour/Tory/LibDems) to be in full control of their economy, infrastructure, services, and, resources! Scary emoji face thingy!
LikeLike
The problem is that to few people know this as they see these headline from crap unionist papers and believe them I have yet to see the above true facts appear in the so called Independence paper.
Thank goodness we have you Professor John Robertson.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Slightly off topic, but the Heralds “Scotland’s Ferries” tab at the top of their on-line version seems to be missing these days? Ok, I know that when you clicked it, it took you to any topic unrelated to ferries, but that was part of its fun appeal.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Trying to get advertisement revenues to keep the propaganda afloat. Loses readers and revenues faster than a sieve loses water. Hardly any one reads it. Click bait. No subscribers put off by the nonsense. Premium content can be found elsewhere on the internet. Google or others.
LikeLike
Aye, Jonathon Brocklebank, ‘ Chief Feature writer & Columnist for Scottish Daily Mail ‘ when not appearing in the Daily Mail, Irish Daily Mail, MSN (US), MSN Canada, MSN Ireland, MSN Money Canada, MSN Singapore, MSN South Africa, MSN UK, The Mail on Sunday, etc., etc., etc..
Read the article to understand what underpinned Jonathon’s “..the SNP’s ruinous handling of our lifeline service means that it is simply no longer fit for purpose ” and it turns out to be a day trip gone wrong – Who knew a Scottish political party was responsible for the navigation lights at Ardrossan harbour, operation of a ferry service, ferry construction, 14+ years of austerity and Brexit….
It’s otherwise the same script as seen throughout this propaganda campaign – A business owner, reduced footfall and takings blamed on ferry reliability, not Brexit putting off tourists and everybody else being skint… All except faithful old Jonathan, every 2 and a half years…
Can we look forward to 30 months silence from Jonathon before his next Bilge and Swoon novelette ? I fear not….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Given the focus of the mainstream media on ‘Arran ferries’ it is surprising – well no it isn’t! – to have had no in depth analysis of the nature of and trends in Arran’s economy.
From the Arran Banner January 18, 2020: https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-arran-banner/20200118/281831465684512
‘Economic Group sets its sights on 2030: ‘The Arran Economic Group has its sights set on the challenges and opportunities leading up to and including the new decade …’
‘Chairman Tom Tracey said: “Our start point is generally positive: very high quality of life and consistent economic growth. On the downside, we have an ageing population and a chronic lack of afordable (sic) housing.’
“Based on the known plans and proposals, we will have two 1,000-passenger ferries and 5G network providing physical and digital connectivity. More afordable housing supporting more people.”
From Ardrossan Herald (August 27, 2024): ‘New tenants delighted as 18 new homes are allocated on Arran.’ No mention that
finance for the project has been provided in part by the Scottish Government’s Rural & Islands Housing Fund (£1.512m).
The Fraser of Allander Institute published this report on September 29, 2020: ‘The impact of Covid-19 on the Arran economy’.
It included this: ‘One of the possible reasons for the decline in the island’s population is the sharp rise in property prices on the island experienced over the past two decades. As shown in Chart 3, property prices on the island were similar to North Ayrshire and Scotland in the early noughties. However, with the rise of the tourism industry on the island, property prices grew rapidly until the Financial Crisis, and have remained higher than both Scotland and North Ayrshire in subsequent years. In 2018, the average house price in Arran was almost twice the average house price in North Ayrshire.’
And: ‘The rise in prices – potentially driven by holiday homes and rentals – has depressed the supply of affordable housing for workers in Arran. Affordable housing is a key determinant in attracting young professionals to any area and Arran’s inflated house prices have likely acted as a deterrent to commuters considering the move to the island.’
LikeLike