Ferry problems have worsened further for Uist and Benbecula with MV Hebrides’ developing a serious problem with her mezzanine deck.
Room for vehicles is now reduced by up to fifth on the often booked up Harris and North Uist sailings because of the broken adjustable intermediate deck.
In a bid to squeeze as many individual vehicles as possible on the main car deck, CalMac has urgently introduced a rule preventing motorhomes from boarding the ferry.
The fault with the mezz deck -
MV Lord of the Isles was today (Saturday) taken away to cover a relief service for Islay in the midst of CalMac’s chronic shortage of vessels. Her month long removal during a busy season comes at an economic cost to the South Uist community.
Some disrupted travellers from the Lochboisdale outage were due to be diverted onto MV Hebrides via Skye and North Uist, enduring a much longer journey to reach their destination.
While the expulsion of motorhomes will release some space on MV Hebrides for displaced Lochboisdale traffic it is also set to create pressure on other Western Isles sea links if transferred campervans travel on the Castlebay -
CalMac said: “Due to a technical issue with MV Hebrides’ mezzanine decks, there will be a reduced vehicle capacity onboard.
“As a result of this, we are currently unable to accommodate motorhomes.
“Customers with affected bookings will be contacted directly by the ports.”
The shipping firm promised to keep travellers informed.
It said “an update on the issue with the mezzanine decks will be provided as soon as possible.”
Use of the mezz deck is already a hot topic being raised with CalMac and the government following a regular restriction on its operation to save ferry turnaround times in port.
The deck was deployed on Saturdays as well as the last run on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
The Scottish Government maintains the costs involved in providing a full mezzanine deck service are “prohibitive.”
Meanwhile, a demonstration is taking place in Lochboisdale on Sunday in protest against the island’s unfair treatment over ferry services.
Christina Morrison of South Uist Business Impact Group said the event will be a “show of solidarity against the constant abuse of our ferry service and our community.”
She added: “We are asking you to take your vehicles down to the pier to park in the ferry queue -
The Lord of the Isles only returned to her Uist timetable on Monday after an absence of months.
Uist businesses lose around £267,000 of income each week the ferry is cancelled according to a survey conducted last year.
The action group put forward an alternative proposal to reshuffle ships which would provide a service for South Uist.
Kevin Stewart, transport minister, told Hebrides News this week: “I have spoken directly with the David MacBrayne Ltd chair to express my disappointment at how the communications have been handled” over withdrawing the Lord of the Isles.
“I have been very clear with CalMac that they must continue to explore all avenues to provide additional support to services for the area.”
Robert Morrison, operations director for CalMac, said closing the South Uist link until July was an “extremely difficult decision.”
He said CalMac is “working hard” to get vessels back in service.
CalMac bans motorhomes from Skye triangle ferry in bid to cope with fresh chaos
3 June 2023
