Monthly Archives: June 2008

New passenger ferry opens Isle of Jura to new business

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Jura ferryJura House GardensJura Hotel It has taken four years work by Jura’s ‘Initiative at the Edge’ to get the new passenger service from Tayvallich into Craighouse that launched a week ago. The twelve-passenger Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) has already had a modest positive impact on Tayvallich’s local economy – the shop and cafe have been doing new business. The service will open up the island to far easier access to visitors coming direct from mainland Argyll. At present, the only way to reach Jura is by the small ferry from Port Askaig on Islay to Feolin on Jura, across the fast-flowing Sound of Islay. This vehicle ferry’s operation has been set back to a degree by the flaws with the new slipway at Port Askaig, so the new passenger service comes at a good time. Its social impact in bringing two remote communities – one an Atlantic island and one on the inland shores of a sea loch – into close and easy contact with each other will be interesting to observe and measure.

Service details

  • The vessel, operated by Islay Sea Safari, is based at Craighouse on Jura and runs to Tayvallich on sheltered Loch Sween on the west coast of mainland Argyll’s Kintyre peninsula.
  • Booking is advised as the RIB carries twelve passengers. Phone 07768 450000 between 8am & 5pm.
  • If you have booked and cannot travel, please advise the operator, to free up seat availability.
  • The journey takes one hour and costs £15 single, £30 return.
  • The schedule sees two return services a day, six days a week – there are no services on Tuesdays.
  • Mondays and Fridays see departures from Craighouse at 7.00am and 17.00pm with departures from Tayvallich at 10.00am and 18.15pm.
  • Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays see departures from Craighouse at 8.45am and 15.15pm; with departures from Tayvallich at 10.00am and 16.30pm
  • Sundays see departures from Craighouse at 9.15m and 17.00pm; with departures from Tayvallich at 10.30am and 18.15pm.

We attach here the full timetable details and also the timetables of connecting bus services to and from the nearby town of Lochgilphead and to and from Glasgow. The document in in pdf format. jura-passenger-ferry-timetables

Photos shown are by Deborah Bryce, Development Officer for the Jura ‘Initiative at the Edge’ and show, left to right: the Islay Sea Safari Rib which will carry the new ferry service; the gardens at Jura House; the Jura Hotel.

Jura ‘Initiative at the Edge’ wishes to express its gratitude to Argyll and Bute Council, who have backed the project since its inception; HIE; Crown Estate; VisitScotland; and Argyll & Bute Community Planning Partnership who have all played their part. The practical support offered by Tayvallich Bay Association and Jura Development Trust ia also recognised; and this, together with the backing of local Community Councils, elected councilors and members of the communities on both sides of the Sound of Jura, has finally brought this important new service to life.

No end in sight to Unite’s industrial action as airports at Campbeltown, Islay and Tiree close

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Argyll’s Isle of Tiree lost its new air services from Oban and its neighbouring island of Coll for today and tomorrow. Tiree airport has been hit as Unite, the union representing the interests of fire-fighters closed down rural airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL). Islay and Campbeltown were similarly affected by the action, left without normal flights to and from Glasgow for forty-eight hours.

The Scottish government has refused to step in to the dispute, saying that it is a matter for both sides to resolve. HIAL has said that it can afford no more than the 2% pay rise it has offered, a figure at the limit of government guidelines and unacceptable to Unite. If the situation cannot be resolved, a forty-eight hour period of similar industrial action is scheduled for next month. This is bad timing for Argyll’s new and existing air services, given that we are into the tourist season and next month will be fully engaged in it.

Ofcom fails to control phone companies’ rocketing charges for 0870 numbers

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Ofcom, the industry regulator, has failed utterly to control the costs charged by phone operators for 0870 numbers, usually used by the call centres none of us can avoid these days. It has been trying to get companies to bring charges for these numbers into line with charges for normal numbers. It has been ignored. BSkyB and Tiscali have respectively raised charges to 10p a minute and 8p a minute. T-Mobile has doubled the charge for 0870 numbers for people on its Flext scheme. Just now, Flext customers are charged 10p a minute but from the end of July the charge will be 20p a minute and some T-Mobile contracts will charge as much as 40p a minute for 0870 calls. Tim Wolfenden, head of uSwitch.com, the price comparisons website, is quoted as saying ‘Not everyone is going to listen to the regulator’. Ofcom is consulting with phone groups on tariffs and is to issue a ruling this Autumn which might compel the reduction of these charges.

CalMac offers expanded ferry schedule from Oban to Achnacroish on Lismore

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Lismore Community Council’s meetings with ferry operators, Caledonian MacBrayne (Calmac), have borne fruit. The company is now offering a Summer Timetable with four ferries day. They will also provide a fifth ferry – on request – on Saturdays and two request ferries on Sundays. The proposed new Winter Timetable will also run four ferries a day Monday to Sunday and with one extra request ferry on Sundays only. The Sunday service is expected to make a real difference to life on the island and to access to it by car for visitors to Argyll.

Ten days of increased low-flying as MOD admit pilots required to select practice targets in countryside

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The MOD, through Under Secretary of State for Defence, Derek Twigg MP, has confirmed in a letter to Charles Kennedy MP that RAF pilots in training are ‘required to select practice targets which are representative of those they are likely to face in operations. This may include vehicles (in simulation of of military vehicles) as well as buildings.’ People living near Ullapool, which lies within the Tactical Training Areas permitting descent to 100ft, have reported frightening incidents where cars, boats and dams have been targeted in this way. The national media have recently reported that a woman in Dumfries who owns and breeds pedigree Arabian horses is suing the MOD for distress and injury to her animals caused by persistent low flying.

Alongside Mr Twigg’s admission of required targeting comes the announcement that Scottish skies will see increased military low flying activity over the next ten days. RAF Kinloss is host to a course from tomorrow until 4th July to increase the tactical leadership skills of aircrew in a ‘realistic, tactical environment’.

An MOD spokesman talking about the forthcoming course out of RAF Kinloss, said that planners are taking steps to avoid repetitive flying over areas which may be particularly sensitive to low flying aircraft and aircraft noise’. This may well mean that low flying is spread more widely than usual. Argyll’s lochs and glens already see a fair bit of Tornado practice. Email us if you or any of your property appears to have been selected as a target in the manner described above.

Travel disruption in Argyll with Tiree Aiport closed on Monday 23rd June

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Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd have confirmed that Argyll’s Tiree Airport, which they operate, will be closed to air traffic on Monday 23rd June. This is due to the industrial action being taken by Unite, the Trade Union representing fire-fighters. HIghland Airways, operator of the new flights out of Oban to the islands of Colonsay, Coll and Tiree have said that they will fly to Coll on Monday, as scheduled, even though the onward flight to Tiree will not be possible, HIAL have advised passengers booked to travel on 23rd June to contact their airline direct.

Argyll’s Hebridean Whale and Dolphins Trust takes part in National Watch

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The National Whale and Dolphin Watch runs until Saturday 29th June, gathering valuable UK-wide data on the movements of these mammals. Argyll’s Hebridean Whale and Dolphins Trust (HWDT), based at Tobermory on the Isle of Mull, will be taking part in the watch. Watch points on their patch are at Tobermory Lighthouse and at Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, the most westerly point on the UK mainland. Sightings Officer Natalie Ward says that there is a good chance of some sightings in Argyll waters.