Local MSP, Labour’s Jackie Baillie, met with the new Chair of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) last week, to discuss the on-going saga with the Gourock-Kilcreggan ferry service.
Councillor George Redmond met with Ms Baillie and Greenock and Inverclyde MSP, Duncan McNeil, at the City Chambers in Glasgow on Friday. The two Labour MSPs outlined their concerns over the current service, since Clydelink was awarded the tender on 1st April 2012.
Jackie Baillie notes that, since taking over the lifeline route, Clydelink has cancelled the service on numerous occasions – often at short notice and has also been the subject of an investigation by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
In May, Clydelink also announced that a temporary vessel would be used on the service, to allow the 16-year-old Island Princess to be sent for maintenance work. Jackie Baillies points to the fact that over 100 days have passed since the announcement first hit the headlines – and no back-up vessel has been seen on the route during that time.
This is just the latest in a long line of public dissatisfactions since Clydelink, which operates the service on behalf of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, took over in April.
Ms Baillie is also concerned about the future viability of the route given the recent report of a drop in passenger numbers. She says:
‘Duncan McNeil and I had a very positive meeting with Councillor Redmond last week and he agreed to consider our concerns about the Kilcreggan to Gourock Ferry.
‘It is clear that SPT have failed to intervene in the on-going saga with Clydelink and have failed to take control of the situation.
‘Clydelink may have been the cheapest option but they are failing to provide a reliable service for their customers.
‘In May we were told a replacement vessel for the Island Princess was imminent – yet we had to wait five months before this happened.
‘Clydelink also allowed their skipper and crew to sail the route without the proper safety certification.
‘Councillor Redmond is keen to ensure that passenger concerns are addressed and that we have a service that we can rely on.’
So the nw Chair of SPT ‘agreed to consider their concerns’.
So gracious of him, when he must have so many far more important matters to ‘consider’.
I wonder if the Chair, Councillor George Redmond, realises that the Kilcreggan ferry debacle is his concern, too – very much his concern, and if he doesn’t perform, rapidly, he should ‘consider his position’ – before it’s considered for him.
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I tired talking to a chair once. Then a table, and I got as much sense out of it!
Chair? What is wrong with the good, old-fashioned, word “Convenor”?
See PC?
I wonder if, instead of talking to furniture, Jackie Baillie might take a moment or two to look westward the next time she’s in the Helensburgh area to see what boat is being used on the Kilcreggan to Gourock route? Since Sunday 23rd September it’s been the bright orange coloured relief boat!
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With a depressing echo of the Island Princess’ debut in SPT’s best April fool gag ever, the clockwork orange broke down yesterday. Perhaps they forgot to wind it up?
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Why did SPT even allow the new operator to bring in an ageing south coast ‘harbour trip boat’ for use on the Tail o’ the Bank crossing in the first place? Saving money seems more important than the injury or lives of people or looks like it. It was originally though that a new purpose-built ferry vessel was to be procured for the sometimes rough crossing , a vessel able to cope with these conditions , I wonder if the original tendering contract provided for this? , so why did they go back on this? No blame is put on the crews but the management seems lacking and will this be yet another project in which the politicians having ‘To Learn Lessons’ , which seems to be the new buzz word.
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The tender document contains nothing except the requirement that the vessel carry 60 passengers and meet the relevant MCA standards. This standard of tender document might be suitable for letting bus contracts but is of no use for letting a ferry route.
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There seems to be a major failing in SPT, Scottish Transport and among politicians regarding exactly what MCA certification means.
MCA certification means that a vessel meets the relevant regulatory requirements and is capable of being operated safely on the waters for which it is certified (it can of course be operated unsafely).
Safe operation means that in weather for which the vessel is not suited she should be able to make port and stay there till conditions improve. In an emergency she also carries sufficient safety equipment to offer the people onboard a measure of security until a rescue can be mounted.
Obviously small boats cannot operate reliably in weather in which larger ships can continue to run, though both may hold the same level of certification.
MCA certification does NOT mean that a vessel can be operated reliably on a route.
The ignorance on the part of politicains seems almost willful as they confuse safety with reliability by making statements like “the MCA have certified the vessels as suitable for the route”.
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True db. Taking your point a bit further, I would point out that the bid for the tender certainly did include a new build vessel. It’s in black and white (literally) on the bid. Completely contrary to SPT claims.
ANd yet this route is being run without what the bidder promised.
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Bring back cal-mac at least we knew we were safe with them
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If one decides to purchase a used car as opposed to a nearly-new or brand new car , you should always be aware that some components will fail soon rather than later because they have been continually used for years. Presumably it’s the same with purchasing a vessel. The IP was new in 1996 but that was 16 years ago and we just don’t know how many refits or overhauls she has had in that time and how she was treated by any previous owners , she could well turn out to be a ‘pig-in-a-poke’ and unreliable. At least a brand new vessel would have given years of unfaulted service. The Clyde Clipper has been seen ‘Up For Sale’ recently , could SPT or the operator ever afford to buy her? She’s sitting idle and a far superior vessel too.
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The Clipper is a similar size to the Flyer, other than youthfulness she doesn’t offer anything extra.
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