Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON For more than two years now Scotland’s media have been blaming the Scottish Government for problems at Ardrossan harbour and it’s Arran ferry service. Little media coverage has targeted the owners, a Manchester billionaire. How did we get here? I asked AI, carefully. Today, known as Sir Malcolm Leslie Rifkind and The Lord MacGregor of Pulham Market, these men above, were successively secretaries of State for Scotland, at the time, driven by PM John Major’s ongoing Thatcherite sell-offs, who managed the … Continue reading These Tory ministers sold profitable harbours like Ardrossan to enable shareholders to milk rather than to maintain them, Labour then did nothing and now the SNP Government is blamed for not buying it back and repairing it quick enough?

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

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

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

The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser primarily, finishing in 7 days, to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland – a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson By Professor John Robertson OBA, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair, UWS Red Funnel and Wightlink, above, provide ferry services to the Isle of Wight from the South of England. In January 2025: Sir Keir Starmer: Isle of Wight ferries … Continue reading Chaos for drivers and passengers as both of Isle of Wight privatised ferry services suffer breakdowns and cancel key services despite higher fares