THE damning findings of the spending watchdog included a “multitude of failings” in the delivery of two new ferries for Scotland.
As pointed out by Audit Scotland, the state-controlled Ferguson Marine’s Glen Sannox and Hull 802 by will be almost five years late and are set to burst the quarter of a billion pounds mark, two and half times the initial contract.
Tory MSP Graham Simpson made a fresh call for a public inquiry. This would have to cover the whole gamut, including how the service is operated now and in future.
The hopes of some islanders that an end to regular disruption of the lifeline services that CalMac’s 30 ageing vessels struggle to provide across 23 islands would be this year were dashed.
The operator said that it has experienced more “weather disruptions in the first seven weeks of 2022 than during the whole of 2012”.
In just one example islanders on Coll and Tiree, which share one ferry, highlighted the latest route performance data show only about 33% of their sailings in February were successful.
Islanders hired fast RIBs at over £500, a group paid for a private plane charter at £1100, and one resident had to hire a fishing boat to get to the mainland.
One hotel lost £15,000 of revenue over the quarter. Transport of livestock and feed has been “severely disrupted”, said Coll Community Council.
Dr John Holliday, of Tiree Community Council, said the situation is deteriorating. “I have businesses telling me they have lost thousands of pounds,” he said. “The Tiree Trust can’t get their community turbine up and running again. It’s been a disaster.”
This is repeated across the islands.
READ MORE: Angry islanders hire fishing boats and inflatables after CalMac cancellations
The P&O Ferries’ Cairnryan to Larne ferry route could also be included in such a review of plans for future provision. It suffered disruption after the move by P&O last week to restructure the business.
Summarily sacking 800 staff and replacing many of them with agency workers at below the UK minimum wage, it then openly admitted it opted not to consult.
It was claimed this was the only way to save P&O from going bust. At the very least the statutory consultation period of 45 days could have allowed rescue package to be considered by the UK Government for such an important service.
The company said most recently it faced a £100 million year on year loss.
In its last available accounts, for the year to December 31, 2020, P&O Ferries posted a profit after tax of £63m, against a £69m loss the previous year.
Also this week, Chancellor Rishi Sunak had to defend whether it was prudent or not to promise a tax cut in two years in times of unprecedented economic turmoil.
The Spring Statement comes under the spotlight in business editor Ian McConnell’s Called to Account column this week, and he writes of industrial discontent ahead: “As the cost-of-living crisis intensifies dramatically, with even worse to come, it is no surprise at all to see the emotions of trade unions and their members running high.”
In another consequence of Putin’s war against Ukraine, a shortage of new vehicles could continue to push prices up, warned car retailer Pendragon, which trades under Evans Halshaw and Stratstone and which this week posted record profits for 2021.
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