Comment posted A83 hazard warning back in place by ferryman.
A useful report on landslides in Scotland
http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/files/documents/reports/j10107/j10107.pdf
ferryman also commented
- I would read the construction contract very carefully before using it. The ferries don’t have to be able to sail in normal weather so I would want to be sure the tunnel had to keep the water out when the tide was high.
The public should not need to study these things but our politicians and civil servants don’t seem up to the job.
Of course if I had a matter transported I would not need a ferry or a tunnel. Why does our MSP not dream up one of those, there is as much chance of one being delivered as a tunnel.
- Our MSP is a man of vision. Trains will pass under the Firth of Clyde make their way to the Mull of Kintyre then travel under the Irish sea. I suppose there might be a tunnel between Portavadie and Tarbert, that was not mentioned, but our MSP knows the area, knows what he is talking about – surely you don’t doubt that?
The problems with the ferries and the roads will all be superceeded when the vision comes to pass, that is why he is paying little attention to them.
- The A83 situation appears shambolic with detailed plans not even in place. The Dunoon ferry situation is rank incompetence, why was a reliable passenger service not put in place that cannot cope with the weather instead of having the Coastguard serving notices on it.
The investment has not been forthcoming. The roads should have been fixed by now. The ferry situation only exists because the promised investment in bigger, reliable vehicle ferries was not made.
As to tunnels under the Irish sea I prefer my politicians to get the job done rather than having fantasies.
- A83 warnings again because of exceptional weather.
Gourock trains cancelled, no doubt the bathtub ferries will go off as well. Third world contry indeed.Why since billions are being spent on the Firth Road bridge, borders trains and Edinburgh trams is not a tiny amount being spent in the West of Scotland to keep ferries, roads and trains to a usable standard?
How is our MSP Michael Russell getting on with his daydreams about tunnels under the Firth of Clyde and the Irish sea. Has he considered airships? When is he going to do something practical?
Recent comments by ferryman
- Reminder: Argyll Ferries on ‘refit’ service schedule
The scottish Government has failed to deliver on the transferable ferry tickets it was going to setup. The bus scheme is a bodge that adds anything upto two hours to travel time.Any news on what they are going to do for Cowal Games or are they just going to try another gamble on the weather.
- New Campbeltown ferry pilot – a whale beached before it starts
They did not refuse to give car/ferry passenger service to Dunoon – they took it away!They went back on a maniefesto committment to provide new vehicle ferries and then to cap it all they made an incompetent botch by putting in a totally and uttery unreliable passenger only service.
- Inexplicable blame game from MSP on lack of cross-ticketing on Dunoon ferries
“no carrier could justify running a heavier and thirstier craft than necessary”The “than necessary” is the critical point. If you are specifying a commuter service to get people to and from work, hospital college etc. then it is necessary and perfectly possible to specify vessels able to operate reliably on the Clyde.
What you do not do is accept vessels which regularly and repeatedly fail to run for days at a time.
Newsroom wrote “physical facts are the physical facts”, they are indeed and the current bathtubs are far too small for reliable operation. In any case the Ali Cat was operating unreliably on the route already so her current performance is no surprise.
- Inexplicable blame game from MSP on lack of cross-ticketing on Dunoon ferries
I take exception to your statement that “The Argyll Ferries’ passenger boats, being necessarily lighter craft, are more prone to delay and cancellation in a bit of a blow”.Transport Scotland should have specified vessels able to provide a reliable service. They did not hence the problem.
Also the gentleman referred to in the article in the Observer concluded by saying he did not want a lot of energy devoted to cross ticketing etc he wanted it devoted to the getting his town centre ferry service taking him to the trains to work.
That of course makes sense because even if he could transfer totally reliably to and from Western at no cost at all he would still be late for work.
- Western Ferries: new sailings, inflation rises in fares – and protection for concessions
“the consensus seemed to be that they would be too expensive to be used as passenger only ferries”Exactly. Here you have ferries known to be reliable in the sea conditions on the route, able to operate at a fantastic profit when carrying vehicles but not economic carrying only passengers.
AF are suspended again today, they were off all day yesterday, because they use bathtubs not remotely suited for the purpose to which they are being put.
The sensible thing is to use larger ferries on the town centre route and let them carry vehicles. As CalMac demonstrated, before the Government of the day stopped them, putting on more sailings increased revenue and cut subsidy.
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