Complaints about replacement ferry 10/3/14
The Comhairle is to raise complaints about the number of cancelled sailings plus breakdowns of the present Stornoway ferry, MV Isle of Lewis.
Council development committee chairman Alasdair Macleod stated that Cal Mac risks undoing the positive publicity generated by the recent Trip Advisor survey which placed Lewis and Harris as the fifth best island in the world to visit.
Cllr Macleod said the recent replacement ferry MV Isle of Arran attracted a raft of complaints ranging from a “lack of seating on board, the slow speed of the vessel, lack of information when delayed and one incident when the cafeteria ran out of certain items on the menu.”
He said Cal Mac made a “serious operational blunder” by its choice of cover ship.
Councillors will discuss problems with ferry services with Cal Mac representatives in Stornoway on Tuesday.
It is understood the Arran was the only vessel available during the recent unexpected breakdown of the Stornoway ferry as the MV Clansman was in drydock.
It is believed Cal Mac would have reshuffled the fleet to get the MV Clansman or another vessel to cover when she leaves her refit this week if the MV Isle of Lewis had not been fixed.