The CMAL-owned slip at Lochaline is undergoing improvement works this year. In October (just after the rally and with the start of Winter timetable on October 21st) the ferry service will be restricted to foot-passengers only for six weeks. Below is the proposed temporary timetable.
This will undoubtedly cause difficulties for many people. If you are a regular user and this will cause you problems, please email our Chair Elizabeth Ferguson at elizabeth.ferguson@btinternet.com, or vice chair Joe Reade at joe@islandbakery.co.uk. Please detail how this will affect you, and what provisions you will need to overcome it. For example:
- If you commute to work using the ferry and would normally take a car, would provision of a hire car on the opposite side be needed?
- If you’ll have extra expenses caused by regularly having to take a different route (ie via Kilchoan or Oban) what will they be?
We will compile all of these emails and press CMAL and CalMac for solutions. It is disappointing that a temporary pier was not included as part of the planned works, in order that vehicle service would not be interrupted. It’s unlikely that at this stage we will be able to change that, but if you have practical suggestions for solutions or compensation please let us know so that we can present a case on your behalf and try to minimise disruption.
We have pressed CMAL to hold a public consultation meeting on Mull (this has been done in Lochaline, but there were no plans for one on Mull) and we understand this will now be done. When we get news of this we will share it. Meantime, please email us with details of how this will affect you.