FERRY operator Caledonian MacBrayne has presided over nearly 130 cancelled or delayed sailings each week for over a decade new figures reveal.
More than 70,000 Scottish ferries have been delayed or cancelled on routes operated by CalMac since 2007 , according to new data, in a record described as "disastrous".
The findings come as the Scottish Conservatives are today (Weds) due to debate the "chaotic state" of Scotland’s ferry network which the party says has seen "significant decline "over the last 12 months.
Figures indicate sailings on 29 routes over the period were delayed 34,124 times and cancelled 39,314 times.
It means in eleven years, the equivalent of around 128 sailings a week have been delayed or cancelled.
The worst affected routes include those running between Ardrossan to Brodick and Wemyss Bay to Rothesay.
In August two CalMac ferries being built by a firm owned by one of Nicola Sturgeon’s advisers in a £100m deal were delayed yet again and are not expected to be ready till next summer and spring 2020.
Scotland’s main ferry operator had already warned of disruption during the summer because of breakdowns in its ageing fleet, with the average vessel on a lifeline route now 22 years old.
The new figures come a fortnight after CalMac was hit by further technical issues as its flagship vessel the Loch Seaforth faced delays and cancellations as a new winter timetable comes into force.
he breakdown of the £42 million German ship, which was introduced in February 2015 and services the Ullapool to Stornoway route, follows a series of problems.
According to the new figures, in 2015/16 a total of 6,135 sailings were abandoned, the highest number recorded in the last decade. A total of 1,884 ferries were cancelled in 2009/2010.
Scottish Conservative transport spokesman Jamie Greene said: "SNP management of the ferries has been nothing short of disastrous.
"This astonishing level of delay and cancellation must be extremely inconvenient to local residents and tourists and highlights the poor service that many islanders are receiving as a result of sustained underinvestment in our port and ferry infrastructure under the SNP.
"CalMac has admitted there is very little resilience within the fleet nor does there appear to be any long term planning.
"As things stand the situation is nearing crisis point during the summer season and ultimately island communities will be let down when things go wrong."
CalMac would not comment on the new details.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: "Ferry travel has its own distinct challenges, with difficult weather conditions the cause of cancellations in the large majority of situations. Any impact on services is regrettable but Masters have a duty to ensure the safety of passengers above other considerations.
“We acknowledge the frustration of customers during the recent periods of disruption and are taking actions to address these concerns by continuing to invest in new ferries for the fleet, improving harbour facilities, and developing an action plan to tackle resilience issues on the network.
"We remain absolutely committed to supporting these vital transport links and helping the continued socio-economic development of our remote and island communities.”
The spokesman said the Scottish Government "despite real terms reductions by UK Government" has invested £1.2 billion in the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services network over the last decade. The investment included new routes, new vessels, upgraded harbour infrastructure, as well as the roll out of significantly reduced fares through the Road Equivalent Tariff scheme.
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