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As unelected Lib Dem MSP imagines ferry disruption but what 1 064 real users actually think? 80% satisfaction and half-empty car decks

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Support Talking-up Scotland to keep rebutting the lies almost every day of the year, at https://t.co/xFcIcegHTy In the Ardrossan Herald two days ago: WEST Scotland Liberal Democrat [List] MSP Jamie Greene has hit out after it was revealed the cost of Arran’s newest ferry had now hit £197.5 million. It was confirmed last week that MV Glen Rosa, originally due to enter service in 2018, would now face an extra cost of £12.5 million. Nationalised [bad, to a newsrag owned by a corporation] shipyard Ferguson Marine confirmed last year that the vessel would not hit the waters until late 2026. That … Continue reading As unelected Lib Dem MSP imagines ferry disruption but what 1 064 real users actually think? 80% satisfaction and half-empty car decks

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Five serious incidents in only two years including drifting powerless near a rocky headland but New Zealand never blame government

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From Wellington.Scoop on January 10th 2026: Bluebridge troubles continue; crossings cancelled after ramp fault – More Bluebridge ferry services are being cancelled since a winch problem left passengers stranded overnight on the Connemara in Wellington Two hundred passengers spent about 15 hours on the vessel after Thursday’s 8.30pm Wellington to Picton service had to return to the capital shortly after departure following the discovery of a fault with the ramp. After the ramp problem, two scheduled Bluebridge crossings were cancelled – yesterday’s 2pm Picton to Wellington, and this morning’s 2.30am Picton to Wellington. More cancellations were expected. https://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=176968 The above … Continue reading Five serious incidents in only two years including drifting powerless near a rocky headland but New Zealand never blame government

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In the land with the best services for children the Herald’s sickening imagery and campaign to undermine the only party that does anything

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Professor John Robertson OBA The Herald today with another of their tasteless, exploitative images and demands from charities, the latter lead by folk often more interested in honours from Sir Keir, to demand more from the ‘SNP’ government and, of course, failing to inform their readers of just what that party has already done to radically reduce child poverty, only here, and with the clear commitment, only here, to push for its complete eradication! The Herald 18 October 2025 headlined their report on autism and ADHD waiting times with an apparently tragic image of tearful wee, Madeleine McCann-like, fair-haired girl of 3 to 4 … Continue reading In the land with the best services for children the Herald’s sickening imagery and campaign to undermine the only party that does anything

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Isle of Wight Tory MP calls for ferry pricing regulation introduced by SNP in 2008 to transform Scottish island economies and then be forgotten by the ungrateful among them

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Professor John Robertson OBA From the Independent last week: Ferries which connect island communities to mainland Britain are in decline, an MP has warned in his push to bring boats more in line with buses and trains. Joe Robertson said the Isle of Wight’s 140,400 residents have little say over how ferries are run across the Solent to Hampshire. He has tabled the Ferry Services (Integration and Regulation) Bill which, if agreed, would set up a framework for regulating boat routes throughout the country. Bus and train operators must follow several laws, such as the new Bus Services Act this month, which gives councils the … Continue reading Isle of Wight Tory MP calls for ferry pricing regulation introduced by SNP in 2008 to transform Scottish island economies and then be forgotten by the ungrateful among them

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The case for developing a shipbuilding industry on the Clyde learning valuable skills from the two hybrids – as four cheap-build island ‘lifeline’, Turkey-built ferries are delayed again and again despite cheap and dangerous practice

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By Professor John Robertson OBA From the Scotsman in March 2025: A fleet of ferries being built in Turkey have been hit by a further setback, with their completion date pushed back by at least another three months due to labour shortages. The Isle of Islay – the first of four vessels being built at the Cemre Marin Endustri shipyard at Yalova – will now not be completed until at least June. The delay, which was blamed on the impact of “global geopolitical events”, was confirmed in a letter from Scottish Government ferry-buying firm Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (Cmal), sent to a key Scottish Parliament committee … Continue reading The case for developing a shipbuilding industry on the Clyde learning valuable skills from the two hybrids – as four cheap-build island ‘lifeline’, Turkey-built ferries are delayed again and again despite cheap and dangerous practice

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Health Secretary need not apologise over Glasgow drug room briefing

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Professor John Robertson OBA In the Herald today, the above and: Health Secretary Neil Gray is under pressure to apologise after an official briefing prepared for him included claims that residents in Glasgow’s East End have spread misinformation about the city’s drug consumption room. The internal paper — released under Freedom of Information laws to the Scottish Conservatives — was drawn up by Scottish Government officials ahead of Mr Gray’s appearance before the Westminster Scottish Affairs Committee in June, as part of its inquiry into “Problem Drug Use in Scotland” and the Thistle pilot facility in Calton. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/25566391.neil-gray-urged-apologise-glasgow-drug-room-briefing/ Who is urging the apology? You won’t be surprised: What … Continue reading Health Secretary need not apologise over Glasgow drug room briefing

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‘Devastating damage to vehicles’ aboard North Link’s Orkney ferry after ‘cargo shift’ in wind speeds that have never troubled CalMac

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Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Dottie again for alerting us to this: Off Stromness, wind speeds this morning varied between 24.5 and 40.1 mph with gusts up to 42.4 mph1according to the Inverness Courier: ‘Devastating’ damage to vehicles aboard Scrabster ferry after ‘cargo shift’ – A “full review” is under way after vehicles were damaged while the ferry Hamnavoe was crossing the Pentland Firth [from Stromness] this morning. The ferry operator, Serco NorthLink Ferries, said there had been a “cargo shift” as the vessel was on its way from Stromness to Scrabster. No-one was injured. Managing director Stuart Garrett … Continue reading ‘Devastating damage to vehicles’ aboard North Link’s Orkney ferry after ‘cargo shift’ in wind speeds that have never troubled CalMac

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Chill – Scottish data centres powering AI only require 0.00004% of Scotland’s 745 trillion litres of water

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Professor John Robertson OBA BBC Scotland today has the above headline and: Data centres powering artificial intelligence (AI) in Scotland are using enough tap water to fill 27 million half-litre bottles a year, according to data obtained by BBC News. AI systems such as the large language models (LLMs) that power OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini require warehouses full of specialist computers. The equipment is power-hungry, consuming large amounts of energy, but they also use tonnes of water in their cooling systems to stop the servers overheating. Freedom of Information data shows the volume of tap water used by Scotland’s data centres … Continue reading Chill – Scottish data centres powering AI only require 0.00004% of Scotland’s 745 trillion litres of water

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Shocking contrast between customer satisfaction with CalMac and British Columbia Ferries with latter often screamed at, spat on or threatened due to poor performance

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Professor John Robertson OBA From the Times Colonist on 10 October 2025: The union representing B.C. Ferries workers says its members are facing “disturbing” levels of abuse from passengers. A survey of B.C. Ferry and Marine Workers’ Union members indicated that more than 80 per cent of respondents said they have been threatened with violence on the job, and 92 per cent said they have witnessed it. The union released the results of its survey as the Thanksgiving weekend got underway in what is expected to be one of the year’s busiest for ferry travellers. Behind every sailing is a crew doing … Continue reading Shocking contrast between customer satisfaction with CalMac and British Columbia Ferries with latter often screamed at, spat on or threatened due to poor performance

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I repeat, how can a half-empty ferry be a ‘lifeline’ to a mainland town when there’s a road that’s more than one hour quicker than the ferry?

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to Campbelltown next summer. Local businesses had hoped the company would be able to restore the seasonal service next year. The route was suspended because of the problems the company was facing maintaining lifeline services. Local businesses [only one really in the online report] and councillors [none quoted in the report below] want Transport Scotland and the Scottish Government to intervene Professor John Robertson OBA BBC Scotland today merely repeats the 30 July 2025 story in The Express which had merely repeated the February 26th 2025 news of the cancellation of the Campbelltown to Ardrossan ferry. This is still not … Continue reading I repeat, how can a half-empty ferry be a ‘lifeline’ to a mainland town when there’s a road that’s more than one hour quicker than the ferry?