By Colin Smeeton
Following a public consultation CalMac has announced changes to its policy which decides on how to redistribute services to where they are needed most during significant disruptions.
The changes to the route prioritisation framework were developed in collaboration with Transport Scotland and the Ferries Community Board, with input from communities and stakeholders who have called for a fairer and more transparent system in deciding which routes are prioritised when vessels are relocated or withdrawn.
The new policy, which CalMac says will “better align with the needs and expectations of island communities,” include:
* When calculating the priority of each route, CalMac will put more emphasis on the level of use by both island residents and commercial vehicles.
* Routes with limited capacity on alternative services will be prioritised higher.
* Given alternative travel options are available, Ardrossan-Campbeltown and Mallaig-Armadale routes will be the first to experience disruption if a vessel is available and a cascade involving those routes can help.
* The aim is to ensure that no route is without service for more than one week, where possible – this excludes Ardrossan-Campbeltown and Mallaig-Armadale.
* The rationale behind vessel deployment decisions will be clearly communicated.
Based on the feedback received, the following proposals will not be adopted:
* Routes will not be prioritised based on higher levels of historical disruption. Instead, recent disruptions will continue to be captured and considered within the existing prioritisation framework.
* Spreading vessels across multiple routes will not be a standard practice, especially if it results in less optimal vessel deployment; this will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Pauline Blackshaw, director of strategy and change at CalMac, said: “We are immensely grateful to everyone who participated in this consultation.
“Your contributions have been instrumental in shaping a more effective framework for our ferry services.
“While we will continue to face challenges in distributing services during major vessel outages, these refined changes are a significant step towards a more equitable and transparent system.
“Looking ahead, we very much welcome the investment provided over the next few years to deliver six new major vessels and 10 smaller vessels, which should reduce the requirement for route prioritisation in the future. In the meantime, these revisions demonstrate our commitment to the continuous improvement of our services for the benefits of our customers.”
The changes will be implemented on Monday October 23, in conjunction with the launch of CalMac’s winter timetable. CalMac will monitor the new system over the coming winter season to ensure it is operating as expected. A full analysis of the consultation can be found on CalMac’s website at https://www.calmac.co.uk/corporate/consultations-at-caledonian-macbrayne