Scottish Parliament’s Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee have nearly concluded their inquiry into ferry procurement. It was prompted by the catastrophic events that have led to CalMac’s two new vessels (hulls 801 and 802) still being under construction on the Clyde, when they should have been delivered two years ago. They are currently around 100% over budget (about £100 million each) and the shipyard building them has gone into receivership and subsequently been nationalised.
Our focus has been on the the ferry designs, and examining whether they were the right kind of ferry to be ordered in the first place. We have sent two submissions to the inquiry. The second one was sent just this week, and is the result of freedom of information requests to CalMac, and close examination of carrying data.
Mull is near the top of the list for ferry replacement, and we are determined that whatever is built for Mull delivers the best service to users. Our investigation into hulls 801 and 802 has certainly helped to clarify what makes a good ferry, and what makes a bad one. Have a read…
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