Tag: transport

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Why are BBC Scotland’s ‘ageing ferries’ far younger than Washington State’s ‘ageing ferries?’

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From King-TV Seattle today: Washington State Ferries (WSF) received $4.8 million in federal funding to refurbish six aging boats in its fleet, Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell announced Wednesday. The federal grant will pay for upgrades on WSF’s Issaquah Class Vessels, originally constructed between 1979 and 1982. The vessels currently serve travellers on the Fauntleroy-Southworth-Vashon, Mukilteo-Clinton, and Anacortes-San Juan Islands routes. https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/washington-state-ferries-receives-4-8-million-in-federal-funding-for-passenger-area-upgrades/ar-AA1kKmpQ?ocid=asudhp Meanwhile, in Scotland, from BBC Scotland in May 2022: The problem with CalMac’s ageing ferries. Announcements that Caledonian MacBrayne ferries have been withdrawn from service for repairs are becoming an increasingly common occurrence. Most islands in the west … Continue reading Why are BBC Scotland’s ‘ageing ferries’ far younger than Washington State’s ‘ageing ferries?’

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Lorry driver ignores bridge weight limit, who you gonna blame? BBC Scotland ask ‘Did the Scottish Government build the bridge?’

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By Professor John Robertson Thanks to Bob Lamont for alerting me to this: Lorry damage puts CalMac ferry out of action BBC Scotland note: CalMac told ferry users the damage was caused by “large commercial vehicles” whose weight exceeds the ramp’s design load, but it has been unable to identify which lorries were to blame. Who’s to blame, children? Yes, the lying lorry driver and the lorry owners. What do BBC Scotland suggest instead? Cumbrae Ferry Users Group held a public meeting to discuss the ferry problems on Tuesday, attended by 130 people – about 10% of the island’s population. … Continue reading Lorry driver ignores bridge weight limit, who you gonna blame? BBC Scotland ask ‘Did the Scottish Government build the bridge?’

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CalMac ferries are youngest in major survey!

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linked to the aging vessels it currently it currently has to use. By Professor John Robertson BBC Scotland today, opening with the ferries construction being ‘delayed and over budget‘, a ‘running sore‘, then ‘delayed and over budget‘ again, all in less than 60 seconds, in case you didn’t get that, before repeating the idea that the fleet is ‘aging.’ Well, we’re all aging, but CalMac ferries are, objectively, younger than average, for a ferry fleet. From a September 2022, Ernst and Young LLP survey for the Scottish Government’s Transport Scotland department, CalMac ferries are, on average, newer (22) than those … Continue reading CalMac ferries are youngest in major survey!

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A phantom ferry fiasco

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By NMRN Kathryn Sampson of ITV noted recently in her #SNPBAD attempted ‘report’ that a ferry was built in Turkey…..I guess then that the UK government awarding the construction of some parts of ships for the Royal Navy to overseas (foreign) companies does not matter then….as that’s ….different ? (we all know what she, Samson, was trying to say and do in noting the Turkey connection) ….however it was reported that “The Conservative UK government tends towards a competitive procurement process, which goes for the lowest cost bidder, no matter where they are bidding from”…. Just sayin. Plus we also had Chris Grayling and … Continue reading A phantom ferry fiasco

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Injury after collisions involving HGVs and Buses with bridges fall dramatically

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Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to the Scots Independent newspaper in which I have a column, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ Published yesterday as part of a Freedom of Information request, by the Scottish Government, the latest data reveal a big decline in the number of incidents where people were injured after a bus or an HGV vehicle hit a bridge, in Scotland. Not the biggest of Talking-up Scotland scoops, I know, but one more area where Joe Public might be forgiven for thinking the trend goes the other way, based on media reporting. Who … Continue reading Injury after collisions involving HGVs and Buses with bridges fall dramatically

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Desperation dogs ageing Herald ferry team with three gammons trying to do the work

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This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ The 39 year-old MV Hebridean Isles saying ‘Ah’ to reveal its rust free doors. Today, the Herald of Free Flotsam and Jetsam has from one of their ferry correspondents: Rust dogs ageing CalMac fleet with two ferries sidelined for 3rd year Oooh, there’ll be some creepy shots of rusty old boats in this, won’t there? Nope. All they have is a shot of the MV Clansman (25) looking great with not a trace of rust and the MV Caledonian Isles (30) with some not-rusty scuffs on the … Continue reading Desperation dogs ageing Herald ferry team with three gammons trying to do the work

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CalMac now significantly more reliable than both comparable North American ferry services

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Today, we read in Global News (Canada) that BC Ferries are running at only 85% reliability, as they head in to the year, with 20 of 41 vessels due for major maintenance and stricken by a staffing and breakdown crisis. https://globalnews.ca/news/10263918/bc-ferries-repair-update/ BC Ferries and Washington State Ferries, serving archipelagos with around 30-40 vessels and 40-50 locations, in northern waters, are the most comparable with CalMac, though both operate at lower latitudes and in less stormy conditions. As several island reps have told BBC Scotland, we should learn from other ferry services. CalMac is running at around 99% reliability in the … Continue reading CalMac now significantly more reliable than both comparable North American ferry services

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Poisoned Waters: The War Between BC Ferries in Canada and its workers but in Scotland….

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From the Penticton Herald, today: A four-letter expletive ended talks aimed at bringing peace between BC Ferries and its union — and better service for travellers. It was Nov. 28, and union leader Eric McNeely had just logged in to a video conference call with two company executives. The stakes were high. The company and the union had accused each other of intransigence and lying in a series of memos to employees. The meeting ended badly. McNeely said he left the call after Dean Dobrinsky, the corporation’s executive director of labour relations, told him and another union official to “just … Continue reading Poisoned Waters: The War Between BC Ferries in Canada and its workers but in Scotland….

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Maybe Scotland’s ferry-user ‘representatives’ would like CalMac to learn from this operator in the richest country in the world as it warns ‘Normal service is not possible. Don’t expect improvements for 5 years!’

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Two days ago, we heard from the Herald: The Scottish Government’s bid to provide a direct public contract to CalMac to run the ageing ferry fleet without going through a competitive tendering process is opposed by its community board. Today, to warn the board to be careful what it wishes for, we can read of how a large, failing but profit-making ferry operator, in the USA, is doing for its users: After several years of trying to predict when normal ferry service might return, Washington State Ferries is now acknowledging what most regular riders likely already suspected: Until new boats … Continue reading Maybe Scotland’s ferry-user ‘representatives’ would like CalMac to learn from this operator in the richest country in the world as it warns ‘Normal service is not possible. Don’t expect improvements for 5 years!’