Islay Community Council – Ferry Users Group Meeting 22nd January 2014

Held at Gaelic College, 7pm.

Present: Glen Roberts, William McFarlane, Jean Knowles, Kirsten Laurie, McEachern, Donald Ewen Darroch, Paul Graham, Brian C Abbott, Catriona Bell, Simon Richmond, Bill Main, Catherine Gilchrist and Janet Waterworth (Minute Secretary).

As chairman of the ICC – Glen was pleased to open the meeting and welcome all present and to thank Cal Mac staff, Simon and Bill for coming to present the revised proposals for the 2014 Summer timetable for the Islay ferry route. Following from the meeting held recently it was agreed to resurrect the Ferry User group and get representation from all aspects of the tourist, haulage and commercial sectors together with residential users and from all areas of the island. The next meeting of the Community Council would be held 10th February and it was hoped to fully convene the new group with a duly elected chair and committee, together with a remit of the group’s aims and terms of reference. Present tonight were representatives from the Jura Community Council, Islay & Jura Transport Forum, Islay Community Council, South Islay Development, NFU, Tourism & Marketing Group, Federation of Small Business, and local residents. This wide representation could only be good for the progress of the service provided to the islands. He advised that we would take questions on the timetabling first, after the presentation and then if time permitted general traffic questions at the end.

Apologies: Catherine Gilchrist –secretary ICC – hoping to arrive later, NFU staff also had to leave prompt at 8pm for another meeting. Fraser Woodrow.

Glen then handed over to Simon Richmond – Area Operations Manager for the Islay route.

He explained that progress had been made since the meetings in September to address the islanders concerns over improving the timetable to reflect the increases in demand both from commercial and residential traffic. These needs had to be discussed with Transport and to get their approval for changes. At these two meetings key points were addressed and now able to present the proposals to incorporate the improvements by utilising the layover period for the boat and balancing the split of port usage.

3 Key points are 1. Popular sailings demand on days and times –causes standby booking position which is not preferable for all users and operator

2. Desire to re balance the use of both ports and to support the Jura community.

3. Increase the use and availability of day trips in both directions – for residents to utilise for business and holiday use, and for day visitors to the islands.

He then went onto introduce Bill Mains from the BM Consulting group –who were given the task of re scheduling and interpret=in the data acquired over the past 10 years of traffic. This display on screen showed overall a 40 % increase across commercial and light traffic and also foot passengers. This is driven by the increase in production from the distilleries, the tourism generated by the distilleries and general ancillary traffic to service the busier island as a whole. Peak months of June, July & August with busiest ICC meeting FERRY USERS GROUP cont.: pg. 2 days of Saturday, Friday and Monday in that order, together with peak times of the 1300 inward 0945 out from Islay and for commercials, 0700 and 1530.

Feedback from the community has been noted about lack of co-ordinating public transport issues, use of the ferry to go to on Saturdays and the poor uptake/perceived value to Islay. Also the lack of balance between sailings to , in comparison to .

A full timetable was then displayed and copies passed to the members present, to operate for the Summer of 2014 from 4th April to 26th October.

It would allow for extra sailings on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays by using the vessel when she is currently laying over at Port Ellen. This would have a very obvious cost impact regarding staffing hours/numbers and also fuel expense. But increased capacity and take up is hoped to compensate to a break- even point.

There would be 2 more sailing into P Askaig on Tuesday & Thursday at 1515 hrs. ex and 2 into P Ellen on Monday and Friday at 1515 ex Kennacraig. Outward from Islay would be Monday, Tuesday Thursday & Friday at 1230 from P Ellen, and 2015 hr. ex P Askaig on Fridays and 0945 ex P Askaig on Sundays.

There is also a proposal to extend the Saturday Colonsay sailing to go onto – rather than layover for 3 hrs. This run to service Colonsay is mandatory from the Ferries Plan but can be adjusted to make more use of it for island residents. Tourists need to be on a mid- week arrival/departure holiday or two week stay to make use of it as a day visit. Some use for commercial traffic has been noted as well as day trips for residents. The vessel would then layover Saturday pm at P Askaig.

The new proposals would result in MV making 3 complete round trips per day, supported by the MV Hebridean Isles, resulting in 15 sailings into Port Ellen and 15 sailings into Port Askaig per week.

The two previous proposed alterations were either

1. Considered too radical for the community to agree to and would mean public transport links for ongoing to and from Kennacraig would need full changes to bus service and the problems with Transport Scotland and the times to change those.

2. More sailings with less disruption and added capacity, better balanced to incorporate the needs of Jura and Colonsay communities. Also improves the core users like freight to food stores and distilleries with more options for those flexible passenger travellers. Therefore option 2 was the base for the timings provided tonight.

Simon then opened the meeting to questions on the proposed new timetable

. Has the need for additional capacity been noted for island events i.e. Easter week, Whisky Feis, Fells Race, and Cattle Sales.? This was agreed as important and there was an ability for 18 % more traffic across the new proposals. Pg. 3 . Fells Race and Beach Rugby events – usually had the benefit of re directed arrival port- would this still be possible? Calmac –open to debate at all times and perceived needs. . In the Re Design plans of Port Ellen and Kennacraig there were two phases proposed and now partly completed with the new muster station at Kennacraig coming in use. Has phase 2 for Port Ellen been abandoned i.e. will there be increased parking capacity and new terminal building in the near future? A meeting with CMal and the NFU, recently advised that despite lack of money the plans and necessary permissions were still in force. It was CMal’s opinion that Port Ellen was now safer for foot passenger movements and better lit. This is a matter of local disagreement and experience – radically only more paint markings but basically as unsafe now as Port Askaig ever was.

Bill then summarised the presentation.

Key considerations were:

Fit the Ferry Plan – re legal need to serve Colonsay with another crossing.

Additional costs due to increased crossings- should equate to break even financial position with increased usage.

Need to evaluate new timetable over the whole summer schedule and report back on success or otherwise of changed timetable

Proposals increased capacity by 18 %

Added 4 extra sailings and extended the Saturday Colonsay to Oban and return.

Increased flexibility of same port out of and into for day trips traffic.

Balance of sailings between both ports x 15 each

Scope to improve the support and service to Jura

Colonsay /Oban improved service

Simon added that provided we get approval ASAP for the proposed new sailings with community and Transport Scotland, then the current web service of 2013 timetable can be removed and bookings taken- currently Islay is one month behind other routes for next timetable, which is not good for either CalMac or island businesses. He agreed that improved advertising for new services is needed. That Calmac would push A & B Council for better connecting services for Jura ferry and public transport. He ideally would like to see the process of seasonal timetabling being dealt with much earlier each year – so should be discussing 2015 by September, although need to see how this new service is received. He praised the ICC for reforming the Ferry Users Group and could see only benefits to all being found.

Glen then opened the discussions to general questions.

Pg. 4

. Cattle Sales – can generate up to 25 x 18 mtr floats needing on and off the island within a short time scale due to animal transport regulations. Where this coincides with peak holiday dates i.e. Easter –traditionally this has caused backups of traffic and inability for holiday traffic to get booked. Is it possible to re schedule the Finlaggan winter service away from this time? Currently she is booked out of service 4th to 20th April. Bill responded that they hoped they had addressed this in the past well with additional sailings and that the Hebridean Isles would cope. As Easter was late this year it fell a week after the Spring Sale. It would be reviewed according to booking patterns. The traditional “Pinch Points” were well noted to and by CalMac. . NFU representatives left at this point – having praised CalMac for the revised timetable and for meeting tonight being very supportive and helpful. . Ticket system – this is to be updated? Yes, improved computer data recording and staff training is ongoing and new system should be live by 2015. . The general impression of the proposed timetable is good for small commercial users and removes the need for overnight stays in Glasgow etc. All pleased to note that previous comments about Working Time regulations stopping an improvement have been resolved. This is due to increased staff numbers and therefore costs increased. However if the Hebridean Isles and Isle of Arran are the two support vessels then an improved service is only as good as the vessels employed and both are well aged. Technical issues with either would be disastrous. Is there an ongoing programme for a new second boat for the service? Simon replied that CalMac are acutely aware of the vessel replacement programme, and the community needs and no one wants to see business and travellers turned away. With the focus on the renewal of contracts in 2016 the company are obviously planning ahead now for all needs. Martin Dorchester has been quoted as saying that a dedicated freight vessel was not out of the question. . It was noted that due to recent storm weather conditions the boat has not been able to berth in Port Ellen, but on a number of days local knowledge appears to question why this has occurred and complaints, about a week without a boat into P Ellen were expressed. How is a decision made, with what criteria and is this monitored? can the data be made available to the group at future meetings similar to the Flybe statistics of x X failed flights due to Y x weather and x Z are technical issues ? Simon confirmed that the captains are fully informed with various data of tide, swells , wind and all these are taken into consideration before a decision to change an advertised crossing is made. He can gather this information and would produce for future meetings. . Foot passengers –whether infirm or elderly but also abled bodied find difficulty accessing the two ramps and whilst it was acknowledged that ships staff are very helpful – Often foot passengers are made to leave via the car deck and can see the bus departing as they are kept back on the deck. Would it not be easier for all, to utilise the lift for passengers and baggage before the cars are loaded? Due to increasing safety issues regarding baggage unattended there are various problems with crating bags and transporting to the foyer area and detaching them from their rightful owners but it can be improved and considered. . Is there a plan to improve the waiting room at P Ellen as this is woefully small, also the availability of waiting room out with direct sailing times? The waiting room at P Ellen is under review,

ICC FERRY USERS GROUP meeting 22nd January Pg. 5. . The toilets at Kennacraig are currently being renewed. P Askaig belongs to A & B Council and as such is closed by them rather than Calmac but noted that only the toilet area is available and anyone getting dropped off early is restricted in the shelter available to them –particularly for the Jura community, if tides are volatile there can be hours to wait between crossings with ASP boat. . Agreed to pass this question onto Cllr Robin Currie at the next ICC meeting on 10th Feb. . How is the data evaluated and can this be made available. Bill replied - as the costs of the added capacity were very clear it would be easy to indicate the uptake of a new timetable and collate the information.

The meeting then took a vote on accepting the proposed new timetable as offered and all were in agreement. Simon was very grateful to the group for reaching an agreement and advised that the changes would be up on the website and made available just as fast as possible. The success of everyone’s business was affected by the quality of service provided to the community.

Meeting closed at 9.15 pm