PRESSURE is mounting on the Scottish Government over plans to slash Dunoon’s ferry service for five months, with Argyll and Bute MSP Jenni Minto (SNP) set to take the issue directly to the Transport Secretary.
Ms Minto and neighbouring Inverclyde MSP Stuart McMillan (SNP) have joined together calling for action, after CalMac revealed the Gourock-Dunoon route will operate a single-vessel service for extended periods between September and March.
The move will see the usual half-hourly service cut to hourly while the MV Ali Cat and MV Argyll Flyer undergo annual maintenance and additional life-extension works.
Ms Minto has now confirmed she will raise the issue with Cabinet Secretary for Transport Stephen Flynn when the pair meet next week.
She said: “I am very disappointed that this decision has been made with no consideration to the views of the community councils on both sides of the Clyde. The lack of consultation is unsatisfactory.
“The Dunoon-Gourock service is an important link to Inverclyde and wider for the people of Dunoon and Cowal for work, leisure and healthcare.
“Ferries require maintenance, but to reduce this service to such an extent and for such a prolonged period will have a detrimental impact on how people can live.
“I will be raising this issue with the Cabinet Secretary for Transport when I meet him next week.”
Stuart McMillan MSP added: “This news is frustrating to say the least and I’ve already had communication from constituents highlighting their concerns.
“I welcome that the vessels are going in for their annual service, but for this length of time is unhelpful. This will have an impact upon my constituents who travel to Dunoon and elsewhere in Argyll, either for work or for leisure.
“However, I recognise that the impact will be more acutely felt by residents of Argyll who access public services, including health and dental appointments here in Inverclyde and beyond.
“Both Jenni Minto and myself have written to CalMac seeking urgent dialogue on this matter.”
As reported in last week’s Observer, Dunoon Community Council (DCC) hit out at CalMac after learning that the route would be reduced to a single-vessel operation for significantly longer than usual this winter.
The community council says it has repeatedly sought details of exactly what life-extension works on the vessels will involve but has yet to receive an explanation.
DCC transport lead David Clough welcomed this week’s intervention from the two SNP MSPs but said the argument over the winter timetable should not distract from what the community council believes is the fundamental problem facing the route.
He said: “We are pleased to see the two local constituency MSPs who represent Cowal and Inverclyde supporting DCC’s efforts to raise the issues of the prolonged single-vessel service from September.
“We are lobbying hard with our MSPs and already have positive responses with action planned from Jenni Minto and Tim Eagle.
“However, we are stressing that the fundamental issue is the fitness for purpose and reliability of the MV Ali Cat and MV Argyll Flyer, and carrying out extension-of-life works – which despite repeated requests we have still not had an explanation of what these comprise – is not the way forward.”
The single-vessel service is due to begin from September 2, with periods of hourly sailings expected to continue through the winter maintenance programme and into March 2027.
