Latest news with #SaveArdrossanHarbour
The National
18-06-2025
- The National
MV Caledonian Isles return delayed for fourth time in less than a week
The MV Caledonian Isles – which serves the Ardrossan to Brodick route – has been out of action for 18 months but was supposed to make a long-awaited return last week. But the return of the vessel has been continually pushed back over the last few days, and a specialist has now had to be brought in from Norway to assist with the investigation into the latest fault. CalMac has said the ferry will not return to service on Saturday as previously hoped and will now resume on Wednesday, June 25. READ MORE: Orkney council ends investigation into leaving UK People looking to travel to Arran will still be able to do so from Troon on the MV Glen Sannox or MV Alfred. Kongsberg, the manufacturer of the gearbox, is sending a technical specialist to the vessel who will arrive on Thursday. Trials undertaken ahead of Thursday will gather more data to help CalMac and Kongsberg diagnose and resolve the problem, CalMac said. A CalMac spokeswoman said: 'Whilst we recognise a further delay is disappointing, we have taken the decision to extend the return date into next week to provide customers and the community with certainty ahead of the weekend. "Continuing to have MV Alfred as part of the fleet means that we can honour all customer bookings, so visitors can still travel to and from Arran as planned. 'Once repaired, the vessel will need a further two days of sea trials before a full return to service. Our next update to customers and to the Arran community will be issued on Monday, June 23." The delay to the return of the Caledonian Isles has left locals in Ardrossan furious, with dozens of campaigners planning to stage a protest over the ongoing problems with both the ferry and the harbour at Holyrood on Thursday. READ MORE: Scottish oil and gas firm fined £300,000 after 'terrifying incident' In a post on Facebook earlier this week, the Save Ardrossan Harbour group said island communities had been left "stranded". "This is just the latest failure in a long line of letdowns caused by CMAL's aging fleet and chronic lack of forward planning. They've ordered ferries that don't fit key harbours and allowed the fleet to decline to a shameful state—leaving Scotland's island communities stranded, frustrated, and ignored,' it said. Members of the Save Ardrossan Harbour group and the Arran for Ardrossan Harbour campaign – which represent locals either side of the route – are due to gather at Holyrood to demand action is taken over the dilapidated harbour which has needed an upgrade for years. The MV Glen Sannox and its sister ship the MV Glen Rosa – which is due to come into service next year – are both too large to berth at Ardrossan. There have been no ferries running from Ardrossan for five months, which has left businesses in the town concerned about their future. The Scottish Government promised seven years ago that Ardrossan would remain the main gateway to Arran and pledged to fund the multi-million-pound upgrade required to accommodate the new ferries. But the project was paused in 2023 amid concern over rising costs and disagreements over how the bill should be split between the three partners: Peel Ports, North Ayrshire Council and the Scottish Government. Communities on both sides of the Firth of Clyde are keen to see Ardrossan remain the gateway to Arran given many people in the town travel to the island for work, while Arran residents have medical appointments in Ardrossan. In February, Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop revealed that money had been set aside to take Ardrossan Harbour into public ownership. But since then, campaigners have lost faith in the progress of negotiations. Wyllie Hume, chair of the Arran for Ardrossan Harbour group, told the Sunday National he had written directly to Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes to ask her to intervene in the negotiations, but the Scottish Government has said it is "wholly appropriate" CMAL leads the talks on ministers' behalf.
The National
16-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
Anger as return of MV Caledonian Isles delayed again
The MV Caledonian Isles was due to finally return to the Ardrossan to Arran route last week after undergoing repairs since January last year. But after it had arrived in Ardrossan Harbour, CalMac announced on Thursday that last minute issues had been picked up during sea trials, meaning it would be delayed until at least Tuesday this week. However, the latest update is that the ferry will not be back in action until Saturday at the earliest because of a problem with the gearbox. It has left locals in Ardrossan furious, with dozens of campaigners planning to stage a protest over the ongoing problems with both the ferry and the harbour at Holyrood on Thursday. READ MORE: Kate Forbes asked to intervene in Ardrossan Harbour talks In a post on Facebook about the latest Caledonian Isles delay, the Save Ardrossan Harbour group said island communities had been left "stranded". The group said: "Enough is enough. "This is just the latest failure in a long line of letdowns caused by CMAL's aging fleet and chronic lack of forward planning. They've ordered ferries that don't fit key harbours and allowed the fleet to decline to a shameful state—leaving Scotland's island communities stranded, frustrated, and ignored. "To make matters worse, stalled negotiations with Peel Ports have gone nowhere. The situation is unacceptable and growing worse by the day." Members of the Save Ardrossan Harbour group and the Arran for Ardrossan Harbour campaign – which represent locals either side of the route – are due to gather at Holyrood to demand action is taken over the dilapidated harbour which has needed an upgrade for years. The MV Glen Sannox and its sister ship the MV Glen Rosa – which is due to come into service next year – are both too large to berth at Ardrossan. This has resulted in the Glen Sannox having to travel to Arran from Troon since January, which has added about 20 minutes onto each leg of the journey. READ MORE: SNP minister clashes with BBC Scotland host over Scottish independence The Glen Sannox is only about to carry out three daily return sailings to Arran from Troon compared to the five that are possible from Ardrossan. While the MV Alfred has been providing extra support when needed, its capacity is much smaller. There have been no ferries running from Ardrossan for five months, which has left businesses in the town concerned about their future. The Scottish Government promised seven years ago that Ardrossan would remain the main gateway to Arran and pledged to fund the multi-million-pound upgrade required to accommodate the new ferries. But the project was paused in 2023 amid concern over rising costs and disagreements over how the bill should be split between the three partners: Peel Ports, North Ayrshire Council and the Scottish Government. Communities on both sides of the Firth of Clyde are keen to see Ardrossan remain the gateway to Arran given many people in the town travel to the island for work, while Arran residents have medical appointments in Ardrossan. In February, Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop revealed that money had been set aside to take Ardrossan Harbour into public ownership. But since then, campaigners have lost faith in the progress of negotiations since a meeting with CMAL, Transport Scotland, Peel Ports and CalMac. Wyllie Hume, chair of the Arran for Ardrossan Harbour group, told the Sunday National he had written directly to Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes to ask her to intervene in the negotiations, but the Scottish Government has said it is "wholly appropriate" CMAL leads the talks on ministers' behalf. The Save Ardrossan Harbour group post went on: "Are you happy with this situation? If not, it's time to act. "Join us in protest at the Scottish Parliament this Thursday, 19th June." The group says there will be a free bus running from Ardrossan at 9.30am which will leave Edinburgh later on at 3pm. CMAL and CalMac have been approached for comment.
Sky News
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Protests in 'ghost town' where £400m ferries don't fit the harbour
Those unfamiliar with Scotland's so-called 'ferry fiasco' would barely believe it is a true story. The new vessels cost quadruple their original price tag, one was delivered seven years late, the other is still being built, and both are too big to fit the main harbour for their daily journeys to and from the Isle of Arran. But in this latest chapter of the scandal, the unbelievable is very much part of the script. And, as Sky News has been hearing, the consequences are brutal. "It is completely and utterly nuts," one exasperated campaigner exclaims as we stand overlooking the deserted Ardrossan Harbour on Scotland's mainland. Ardrossan, on the Ayrshire coast, has been the main port for the ferry service to and from Arran for decades. It is the quickest, most efficient route. But the 30-year-old ferry serving the islands for generations is failing and two new bespoke-designed ones were ordered, with them due to enter service from 2017. The original £100m cost ballooned to £400m, the shipyard was bought by taxpayers amid financial crisis, one vessel finally started carrying passengers in January 2025 while the other is still being built. And to add insult to injury, both are too big for Ardrossan Harbour's jetty to cope with and require an £80m upgrade. In the meantime, services are being diverted along the coast to Troon. Protest as tensions rise in 'ghost town' Ardrossan was promised it would remain the primary port for connectivity to Arran. But now the community is in limbo and is fearing for its future. Christine Cowie, from Save Ardrossan Harbour, told Sky News: "It is completely and utterly nuts. "Why anybody would commission a ferry which doesn't fit the harbour for the route it is meant for is crazy. I cannot understand it at all. "Ardrossan is like an extension of Arran. A lot of people come here to the dentist and use other businesses they don't have on the island which are losing money since the ferries have gone away." A botched design process, mismanagement and a string of costly blunders have given the project the label of one of the biggest procurement disasters in the history of Scottish devolution. People from Arran are joining Ardrossan campaigners on the mainland for a protest on Saturday. Hundreds are expected to gather as tensions boil over. The group's chairwoman Frances Gilmour said Ardrossan has become a "ghost town". She said: "It is so quiet. It is spooky. It's frankly a disgrace. Businesses are suffering. "Economically, this is the route. This is the economic route. We have the infrastructure. We just need the berths fixed." The 33-year-old MV Caledonian Isles, which has been away over the winter for extensive repairs, is expected to return to Ardrossan next month. But locals question how reliable and sustainable that vessel is. On the edge of the once bustling harbour carpark is the Bute MOT garage. Manager Scott Revans says they rely on customers from Arran previously hopping off the ferry and leaving their car for repairs at their centre. He told Sky News: "The harbour is a ghost town. We'd get the passing trade doing whatever customers need from batteries to punctures. It has had an impact on us." Could taxpayers pick up the bill? Ardrossan Harbour is owned by private company Peel Ports. The Scottish government is currently exploring buying the port, but the talks are a secret, with campaigners feeling left in the dark. No one involved in the discussions would answer questions from Sky News about when they expect to alert communities to the next steps. A spokesman for the Scottish government agency Transport Scotland said: "We absolutely understand people and communities' views in favour of retaining Ardrossan as the mainland port and remain committed to ensuring the Arran ferry service is fit for the future. "The Scottish government has instructed officials… to explore options on purchasing Ardrossan Port. "We will of course update parliament once there is progress and an outcome to report, however, it would be inappropriate to get in the way of these complex and sensitive discussions." Jim McSporran, port director at Peel Ports Clydeport, said: "Peel Ports Group welcomes the Scottish government's statement that it intends to explore the potential purchase of Ardrossan Harbour. "Regardless of the outcome of this process, our willingness to invest in the harbour remains steadfast. We take comfort that the port continues to operate this lifeline route and that it remains the port of choice for the people and businesses of Arran and Ardrossan."
Sky News
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Protests in 'ghost town' where £400m ships don't fit the harbour
Those unfamiliar with Scotland's so-called 'ferry fiasco' would barely believe it is a true story. The new vessels cost quadruple their original price tag, one was delivered seven years late, the other is still being built, and both are too big to fit the main harbour for their daily journeys to and from the Isle of Arran. But in this latest chapter of the scandal, the unbelievable is very much part of the script. And, as Sky News has been hearing, the consequences are brutal. "It is completely and utterly nuts," one exasperated campaigner exclaims as we stand overlooking the deserted Ardrossan Harbour on Scotland's mainland. Ardrossan, on the Ayrshire coast, has been the main port for the ferry service to and from Arran for decades. It is the quickest, most efficient route. But the 30-year-old ferry serving the islands for generations is failing and two new bespoke-designed ones were ordered, with them due to enter service from 2017. The original £100m cost ballooned to £400m, the shipyard was bought by taxpayers amid financial crisis, one vessel finally started carrying passengers in January 2025 while the other is still being built. And to add insult to injury, both are too big for Ardrossan Harbour's jetty to cope with and require an £80m upgrade. In the meantime, services are being diverted along the coast to Troon. Protest as tensions rise in 'ghost town' Ardrossan was promised it would remain the primary port for connectivity to Arran. But now the community is in limbo and is fearing for its future. Christine Cowie, from Save Ardrossan Harbour, told Sky News: "It is completely and utterly nuts. "Why anybody would commission a ferry which doesn't fit the harbour for the route it is meant for is crazy. I cannot understand it at all. "Ardrossan is like an extension of Arran. A lot of people come here to the dentist and use other businesses they don't have on the island which are losing money since the ferries have gone away." A botched design process, mismanagement and a string of costly blunders have given the project the label of one of the biggest procurement disasters in the history of Scottish devolution. People from Arran are joining Ardrossan campaigners on the mainland for a protest on Saturday. Hundreds are expected to gather as tensions boil over. The group's chairwoman Frances Gilmour said Ardrossan has become a "ghost town". She said: "It is so quiet. It is spooky. It's frankly a disgrace. Businesses are suffering. "Economically, this is the route. This is the economic route. We have the infrastructure. We just need the berths fixed." The 33-year-old MV Caledonian Isles, which has been away over the winter for extensive repairs, is expected to return to Ardrossan next month. But locals question how reliable and sustainable that vessel is. On the edge of the once bustling harbour carpark is the Bute MOT garage. Manager Scott Revans says they rely on customers from Arran previously hopping off the ferry and leaving their car for repairs at their centre. He told Sky News: "The harbour is a ghost town. We'd get the passing trade doing whatever customers need from batteries to punctures. It has had an impact on us." Could taxpayers pick up the bill? Ardrossan Harbour is owned by private company Peel Ports. The Scottish government is currently exploring buying the port, but the talks are a secret, with campaigners feeling left in the dark. No one involved in the discussions would answer questions from Sky News about when they expect to alert communities to the next steps. A spokesman for the Scottish government agency Transport Scotland said: "We absolutely understand people and communities' views in favour of retaining Ardrossan as the mainland port and remain committed to ensuring the Arran ferry service is fit for the future. "The Scottish government has instructed officials… to explore options on purchasing Ardrossan Port. "We will of course update parliament once there is progress and an outcome to report, however, it would be inappropriate to get in the way of these complex and sensitive discussions." Jim McSporran, port director at Peel Ports Clydeport, said: "Peel Ports Group welcomes the Scottish government's statement that it intends to explore the potential purchase of Ardrossan Harbour. "Regardless of the outcome of this process, our willingness to invest in the harbour remains steadfast. We take comfort that the port continues to operate this lifeline route and that it remains the port of choice for the people and businesses of Arran and Ardrossan."
Sky News
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Protests in coastal 'ghost town' where £400m ships don't fit the harbour
Those unfamiliar with Scotland's so-called 'ferry fiasco' would barely believe it is a true story. The new vessels cost quadruple their original price tag, one was delivered seven years late, the other is still being built, and both are too big to fit the main harbour for their daily journeys to and from the Isle of Arran. But in this latest chapter of the scandal, the unbelievable is very much part of the script. And, as Sky News has been hearing, the consequences are brutal. "It is completely and utterly nuts," one exasperated campaigner exclaims as we stand overlooking the deserted Ardrossan Harbour on Scotland's mainland. Ardrossan, on the Ayrshire coast, has been the main port for the ferry service to and from Arran for decades. It is the quickest, most efficient route. But the 30-year-old ferry serving the islands for generations is failing and two new bespoke-designed ones were ordered, with them due to enter service from 2017. The original £100m cost ballooned to £400m, the shipyard was bought by taxpayers amid financial crisis, one vessel finally started carrying passengers in January 2025 while the other is still being built. And to add insult to injury, both are too big for Ardrossan Harbour's jetty to cope with and require an £80m upgrade. In the meantime, services are being diverted along the coast to Troon. Protest as tensions rise in 'ghost town' Ardrossan was promised it would remain the primary port for connectivity to Arran. But now the community is in limbo and is fearing for its future. Christine Cowie, from Save Ardrossan Harbour, told Sky News: "It is completely and utterly nuts. "Why anybody would commission a ferry which doesn't fit the harbour for the route it is meant for is crazy. I cannot understand it at all. "Ardrossan is like an extension of Arran. A lot of people come here to the dentist and use other businesses they don't have on the island which are losing money since the ferries have gone away." A botched design process, mismanagement and a string of costly blunders have given the project the label of one of the biggest procurement disasters in the history of Scottish devolution. People from Arran are joining Ardrossan campaigners on the mainland for a protest on Saturday. Hundreds are expected to gather as tensions boil over. The group's chairwoman Frances Gilmour said Ardrossan has become a "ghost town". She said: "It is so quiet. It is spooky. It's frankly a disgrace. Businesses are suffering. "Economically, this is the route. This is the economic route. We have the infrastructure. We just need the berths fixed." The 33-year-old MV Caledonian Isles, which has been away over the winter for extensive repairs, is expected to return to Ardrossan next month. But locals question how reliable and sustainable that vessel is. On the edge of the once bustling harbour carpark is the Bute MOT garage. Manager Scott Revans says they rely on customers from Arran previously hopping off the ferry and leaving their car for repairs at their centre. He told Sky News: "The harbour is a ghost town. We'd get the passing trade doing whatever customers need from batteries to punctures. It has had an impact on us." Could taxpayers pick up the bill? Ardrossan Harbour is owned by private company Peel Ports. The Scottish government is currently exploring buying the port, but the talks are a secret, with campaigners feeling left in the dark. No one involved in the discussions would answer questions from Sky News about when they expect to alert communities to the next steps. A spokesman for the Scottish government agency Transport Scotland said: "We absolutely understand people and communities' views in favour of retaining Ardrossan as the mainland port and remain committed to ensuring the Arran ferry service is fit for the future. "The Scottish government has instructed officials… to explore options on purchasing Ardrossan Port. "We will of course update parliament once there is progress and an outcome to report, however, it would be inappropriate to get in the way of these complex and sensitive discussions." Jim McSporran, port director at Peel Ports Clydeport, said: "Peel Ports Group welcomes the Scottish government's statement that it intends to explore the potential purchase of Ardrossan Harbour. "Regardless of the outcome of this process, our willingness to invest in the harbour remains steadfast. We take comfort that the port continues to operate this lifeline route and that it remains the port of choice for the people and businesses of Arran and Ardrossan."
