[17.30 update - suspended for the rest of today] The same strong and gusting NE winds that have seen a range of Calmac’s west coast ferries and that around 14.00 but with a situation review due shortly after 15.00.
9 Responses to Kilcreggan-Gourock ferry service suspended
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Western Ferries appear to have been running a normal service all day at least according to their website.
Argyll Ferries with its bathtubs are of course suspended until further notice though their website icorrectly shows amber instead of red (as usual).
Argyll Ferries and Western Ferries routes cross at their mid-points and so give a good comparison. This just highlights that the passenger only bathtubs sailing from Gourock are totally unsuited for providing a regular service in the weather.
Larger vessels are required for reliability.
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Looking out the window at the seastate in the firth, it’s more of a comment on the robustness(or lack thereof) in the docking arrangement. I’ve watched them dock at Gourock, and it’s like getting a pair of elderly pandas to mate; slow and occasionally unsuccessful. The Argyll Flyer is more than capable of dealing with this weather, she dealt with far worse in her previous life.
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AFL contracted to use the current docking arrangements in both Gourock and Dunoon.
Those arrangements have been satisfactory for many years. If AFL used larger vessels there would be no issue.
Regarding the Argyll Flyer, formerly the Banríon Chonamara, she is not suited to this route because of the speed restrictions on it. I also understand that previously she only operated in the summer for a company that went bust – not a great surprise if correct.
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You can only pee with the equipment provided; AF have the Flyer, with appropriate modifications to the quay the docking process could be more robust and faster. It’s a bloody disgrace that it has taken until now for those modifications to be commenced, a year after service started, but hopefully it may result in better service.
Wishing for larger vessels which are unlikely to be funded is a waste of time.
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Who is paying for the modifications to the quay and what is the cost?
I would rather the money be spent on decent boats.
Why do you say they will not be funded, the Forth Bridges are funded and free.
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For much the same reason I am cynical about the prospects of getting SPT to supply an adequate service between Gourock and Kilcreggan; there’s little money and no political will. That said, there are moves to force SPT to do their statutory duty; if not via their own complaints procedure(ha!) then via alternative means.
I’m not sure about the work; presumably whoever owns the quay pays, either inverclyde council or CMAL.
As for the forth crossing; it’s needed for very obvious economic reasons, by every business and working person for 25 miles north and south of the forth, and west as far as Stirling. The forth bridge is strangling economic growth, is falling down anyway and will need replacement. Arguably a million Scots will benefit.
The ferry to Dunoon affects its users and to a lesser extent the wider populace of Dunoon and surrounding area; perhaps 12,000 people in total. Gourock-Kilcreggan affects even fewer, perhaps 4,000 including Garelochhead, with a further 15,000 in Helensburgh. Without pooling our efforts and making it legally AND politically impossible for SPT/Transport Scotland/AF to do anything other than follow best practice, nothing will change.
There is a good argument that the only reason loadings are so poor on the two ferry routes is that they have been institutionally neglected; there is no synergy in delivery, in scraping by with a de minimis service and no effort or expenditure on promotion to either commuters or tourists they are driving existing passengers away and discouraging the new. New, appropriately sized tonnage capable of dealing with gale conditions on the firth must be commissioned, an ambitious but sustainable timetable must be written; the 4 piers should be adequately served, which means Helensburgh must be properly dredged instead of the ineffectual mudshuffling that occurs presently and Gourock pier renovated so it’s a little less like arriving in East Germany circa 1975.
Clydeport must be cordially invited to enter the 21st century and tear up the pointless 12 knot speed limit which is needlessly slowing the service; with adequate route planning there is no wash issue or sightline issue. The Clyde is an empty 6 lane motorway to the Thames’ congested single carriageway, yet there passenger ferries regularly, safely and legally travel at up to 30 knots. The population of Dunoon and the Rosneath peninsula deserve a modern ferry service, and we ought to fight for it.
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db: well said – but how many people are listening? – ‘tradition’ seems to rule.
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amber is correct colour,
Red means cancelled for day, Amber means temporarily disrupted and possible sailings later
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The texts being sent out say “service suspended” I think most people would regard that as a red. The AFL website says red means sailings cancelled.
Where are you getting the idea that red means there has to be no possibility of a further sailing during the day?
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