Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Peter Peacock, has urged supporters of the Lochboisdale to Mallaig ferry service to "pile on the pressure" to persuade the Transport Minister to drop his opposition to the scheme.

Speaking after receiving answers to a series of Parliamentary questions about the ferry route and journey times on the improving road from Mallaig, Peter Peacock said,

"I think we are just beginning to get the Minister on the run here.

"One of his answers seems designed to give him some room for manoeuvre to change his decision not to back the ferry route and another answer indicates there would be real time savings for journeys to the mainland from Lochboisdale if this ferry route was approved.

"The Minister has agreed to meet local people in late January and by that time the local support for the ferry route should be made loud and clear.

"I urge everyone interested to write to me, so I can pass on the level of support to the Minister.

"It is very clear there is benefit for South Uist and more widely to be had from opening up this route and with significant road improvements from Mallaig south, it becomes a potentially really good news story.

"If we can keep the pressure on the Minister there is a chance he will go into reverse gear and back local people to get what they want, so now is the time to up the profile of the campaign for the ferry and get the Minister on the move."

Peter Peacock’s Parliamentary questions to Stewart Stevenson

Ferry Services

28 January 2008

Peter Peacock : To ask the Scottish Executive what costs were provided by CalMac Ferries Ltd for the operation of options that it presented to achieve the introduction of a ferry service from Lochboisdale to Mallaig at the time of the tendering exercise for current services, or since.

Answered by Stewart Stevenson : The mandatory "variant bid" for a dedicated service between Mallaig and Lochboisdale required the purchase of an additional vessel with a suggested capital cost of £25 million and additional running costs of £4 million per annum.

The "optional variant bid" would have required significant changes to services to Barra and an additional subsidy of some £600,000 per annum.

Peter Peacock : To ask the Scottish Executive whether, under the terms of an invitation to look at innovative solutions as part of the bidding process for the contract, CalMac Ferries Ltd offered optional variants on how a Lochboisdale to Mallaig service could operate.

Answered by Stewart Stevenson: The Invitation To Tender (ITT) set the service specification for the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) contract as the then current timetable plus a number of specified enhancements. The ITT also required tenderers to submit a variant bid that included a Mallaig to Lochboisdale service while continuing to provide an Oban to Caslebay service and the rest of the CHFS services as specified.

In response to the Invitation to Tender for the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services Contract CalMac Ferries Limited submitted:

A "base network" bid that was compliant with the ITT for the minimum service specification;

A "variant bid" for a Mallaig to Lochboisdale service that was compliant with the terms of the ITT, and

An "optional variant bid" that was not compliant with the terms of the ITT.

CalMac recognised that this proposed "optional variant bid" would have been a medium term option, which would have required consultation and the support of all communities affected had it been deemed appropriate by the Scottish Government. This potentially attractive solution was submitted by the company as an innovative alternative to the main proposal.

The contract was awarded for the "base network" bid which delivered the minimum service level and some minor enhancements.

There was extensive dialogue with CalMac Ferries Ltd, and their advisors, during the tender process regarding their proposals.

Peter Peacock : To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has invited CalMac Ferries Ltd to explore the possibilities of operating a Lochboisdale to Mallaig ferry service and recommend to the Scottish Government how this might be achieved and at what cost.

Answered by Stewart Stevenson: Following the award of the new contract, and in response to issues raised by local elected representatives, CalMac Ferries Ltd were asked to search the market place for suitable vessels that might be available to support a Mallaig – Lochboisdale service. They have completed the search and have reported their findings to the Scottish Government. I also met with community representatives from South Uist on 22 January to listen to their views on the possibility of a Mallaig – Lochboisdale service.

Peter Peacock : To ask the Scottish Executive whether CalMac Ferries Ltd is free to suggest alterations to its contract in order to accommodate new services or variations to services currently on offer.

Answered by Stewart Stevenson: Under the terms of the Public Service Contract no changes can be made to the timetable during the first six months of the contract. Thereafter the terms of the Public Service Contract allow CalMac Ferries Ltd to make minor and major changes to the timetable with the agreement of Scottish ministers. Users must be consulted prior to any changes being made and in the event of a major change Scottish ministers would need to see community support.

Peter Peacock : To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is free to add new routes, or variations to routes, to the contract operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd.

Answered by Stewart Stevenson (28 January 2008): Under the terms of the Public Service Contract no changes can be made to the timetable during the first six months of the contract. Thereafter the terms of the Public Service Contract allow CalMac Ferries Ltd to make minor and major changes to the timetable with the agreement of Scottish ministers. Users must be consulted prior to any changes being made and in the event of a major change Scottish ministers would need to see community support.

Peter Peacock : To ask the Scottish Executive what constitutes the difference between what may have been deemed to be a non-compliant innovative solution to a ferry problem and a compliant innovative solution, in terms of the tender specification for services currently operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd.

Peter Peacock : To ask the Scottish Executive what constitutes a non-compliant bid in relation to tenders for the services currently operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd.

Answered by Stewart Stevenson: The Invitation to Tender (ITT,) issued by the previous administration on 14 December 2006, set out the minimum service specification for the Public Service Contract for the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services as the then current timetable of services plus the specified enhancements. Any bid that did not meet the minimum service requirement would be deemed to be non-compliant with the terms of the ITT.

Peter Peacock : To ask the Scottish Executive what it meant in the tender specification for island ferry services now operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd by the reference to seeking innovative solutions to problems of ferry service delivery .

Answered by Stewart Stevenson: The Invitation to Tender was issued by the previous administration. However, the Scottish Government has taken the view that innovative solutions would be any new option that delivered at least the minimum service specification.

Peter Peacock : To ask the Scottish Executive whether an issue that was non-compliant at the time of bidding in terms of the tender specification for ferry services to the islands now operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd could now be considered competent as a separate addition to the contract.

Answered by Stewart Stevenson : Under the terms of the Public Service Contract no changes can be made to the timetable during the first six months of the contract. Thereafter the terms of the Public Service Contract allow CalMac Ferries Ltd to make minor and major changes to the timetable with the agreement of Scottish ministers. Users must be consulted prior to any changes being made and in the event of a major change Scottish ministers would need to see community support.

Peter Peacock : To ask the Scottish Executive whether, during the tendering process for services currently operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd, it advised CalMac Ferries Ltd that some of its proposals were non-compliant and, if so, how that advice was given, on what date, by whom and to whom.

Peter Peacock : To ask the Scottish Executive whether any innovative solutions offered by CalMac Ferries Ltd during the tendering process for the current contract operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd formed part of the final contract and, if so, why such solutions were considered to be compliant at the time.


Answered by Stewart Stevenson: The Invitation To Tender (ITT) set the service specification for the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) contract as the then current timetable plus a number of specified enhancements. The ITT also required tenderers to submit a variant bid that included a Mallaig to Lochboisdale service while continuing to provide an Oban to Caslebay service and the rest of the CHFS services as specified.

In response to the Invitation to Tender for the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services Contract CalMac Ferries Limited submitted:

A "base network" bid that was compliant with the ITT for the minimum service specification;

A "variant bid" for a Mallaig to Lochboisdale service that was compliant with the terms of the ITT, and

An "optional variant bid" that was not compliant with the terms of the ITT.

CalMac recognised that this proposed "optional variant bid" would have been a medium term option, which would have required consultation and the support of all communities affected had it been deemed appropriate by the Scottish Government. This potentially attractive solution was submitted by the company as an innovative alternative to the main proposal.

The contract was awarded for the "base network" bid which delivered the minimum service level and some minor enhancements.

There was extensive dialogue with CalMac Ferries Ltd, and their advisors, during the tender process regarding their proposals.

Peter Peacock : To ask the Scottish Executive whether any one part of a tender bid for ferry services which is deemed to be non-compliant renders the entire bid non-compliant.

Answered by Stewart Stevenson: No. The options that included a service for Mallaig to Lochboisdale were submitted by CalMac Ferries Ltd as supplements to the main bid. The "base network" bid was fully evaluated both technically and financially and was considered to be fully compliant with the terms of the Invitation to Tender and the contract was awarded on that basis.

Peter Peacock : To ask the Scottish Executive when it considers that it will serve a useful purpose for the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change to visit Lochboisdale.

Answered by Stewart Stevenson (3 December 2007): I am unable to visit Lochboisdale at this time but I am meeting interested parties from South Uist in Edinburgh on 22 January 2008.

Peter Peacock : To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reconsider its decision not to include a ferry from Lochboisdale to Mallaig as part of the Caledonian MacBrayne contracted ferry routes.

Answered by Stewart Stevenson (3 December 2007): The current service specification for the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services is not "set in stone". CalMac Ferries Ltd are free to suggest alterations to the timetable that are affordable and that do not adversely impact on the services to the communities.

Peter Peacock : To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits a direct Lochboisdale to Mallaig ferry service would give to the residents of Lochboisdale and its surrounding communities.

Answered by Stewart Stevenson (3 December 2007): The STAG appraisal undertaken in 2005 sought to establish the benefits of introducing a direct service between Mallaig to Lochboisdale that did not impact on other services on the network.

The appraisal concluded that there were potential positive benefits to both the Western Isles and Mallaig. However the appraisal noted that a large proportion of the increase in economic activities in South Uist and Mallaig would be the result of displacement from communities served by existing ferry services. The appraisal also concluded that while there would be some demand for such a service the vast majority of demand would be displaced from existing services with little net increase in the number of trips.

The main benefit to the community in Lochboisdale of a direct Lochboisdale to Mallaig ferry service would be a shorter crossing time

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