Comment posted Was this a fair tender process? Government cuts Orkney ferry frequencies within days of Serco contract award by Jim Williamson.
@ Newsroom: You will find up-to-date transport statistics on the Transport Scotland website. To save you from having to search for it yourselves, here’s the link to the 2011 figures.
http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/strategy-and-research/publications-and-consultations/j205779-00.htm
Given traffic levels on the Pentland Firth service mid-winter — the midday crossing usually only carries a handful of vehicles, often in single figures — I am left wondering if any other bidder saw savings to be made by omitting it when really it’s not needed. Yes, I know it’s supposedly a ‘Lifeline Service’, but be realistic about this — there are still two other NorthLink sailings and also Banksie’s catamaran running three times a day too. Did Northlink themselves (or anyone else) bid to run three runs every day? Without knowing that, criticising Serco is a bit harsh in this instance.
Recent comments by Jim Williamson
- Scottish Government response to failure of Orkney ferry service exposes key issue
Timms has got nothing at all to do with Serco Northlink Ferries, which took over from the company of which Timms was chairman last July.Serco Northlink’s boss is Stuart Garrett, well known in the ferry industry for a long time and who, at one point, was the one of the bosses at the Isle of Man Steam Packet.
The contract let to Serco is exactly the same as the contract would have been had it been handed again to CalMac, of that there is no doubt. Serco at least had the sense to keep two freight boats available all year round, one of which is now providing sailings from Orkney to Scrabster, though only carrying lorries.
Perhaps newsie could make a wee phone call to Andrew Banks to see if they’ve got some sort of amicable arrangement in place for Serco to handle their lorry traffic while Pentland Ferries handles their car and passenger traffic?
- No Serco backup for breakdown of Hamnavoe on Northern Isles ferry service
Serco is a privateer? You make them sound like pirates!Was it not the case with the Rathlin service, that CMAL made the boat available to the Northern Irish Deaprtment of Regional Development and, thus, to any potential operator of the Rathlin ferry contract?
http://nalil.blogspot.co.uk/2008/06/new-rathlin-ferry-operator-2.html
- No Serco backup for breakdown of Hamnavoe on Northern Isles ferry service
There is a back-up in place. It’s called Pentland Ferries.Yet again the private sector is baling out the SNP.
- Interesting conundrum on fares for new Campbeltown ferry – is a legal challenge possible?
And bus pass holders travel for nothing. - New Campbeltown ferry pilot – a whale beached before it starts
The timetables and fares are now up on the CalMac website.http://www.calmac.co.uk/timetables/summer-timetables.htm?id=summer-kintyre-ardrossan-campbeltown.png
Shame that they couldn’t see fit to publish the same info for the extra Arran sailings at the same time!
powered by SEO Super Comments
Well I wait with baited breath to see how The Doc, DMH, Morag, Anne and the rest of the usual suspects put a positive spin on this, the latest bit of chicanery by the SNP!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
once again the snp cannot be trusted , they,ll tell you anything to get your vote
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
@ Newsroom: You will find up-to-date transport statistics on the Transport Scotland website. To save you from having to search for it yourselves, here’s the link to the 2011 figures.
http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/strategy-and-research/publications-and-consultations/j205779-00.htm
Given traffic levels on the Pentland Firth service mid-winter — the midday crossing usually only carries a handful of vehicles, often in single figures — I am left wondering if any other bidder saw savings to be made by omitting it when really it’s not needed. Yes, I know it’s supposedly a ‘Lifeline Service’, but be realistic about this — there are still two other NorthLink sailings and also Banksie’s catamaran running three times a day too. Did Northlink themselves (or anyone else) bid to run three runs every day? Without knowing that, criticising Serco is a bit harsh in this instance.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Many thanks. This is very helpful.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
“When the change of service provider was announced following the tendering process, Orkney and Shetland were assured that they would see improvements to the services. Is this it?”
I am sure Transport Scotland will find some way to claim its a better service. The claim does not need to have any basis in reality. Look at the improved service we got in Dunoon with bigger boats!
Does the Orkney service include relief vessels or has that been “improved” so that sailings get cut in half anytime a vessels breaks down or needs serviced – as in Dunoon.
It is a good point about the contract being changed immediately after companies bid, though presumably even Transport Scotland were not stupid enough to leave themselves exposed.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
The forArgyll article stated “The issue with which we are concerned is whether this substantial change of required service provision, coming to son after the award of contract, invalidates the tender”
But, as I now understand it, the tender specification essentially invited bidders to reduce from 3 to 2 return crossings per weekday for the non-peak period. The non-peak period was not specified and had to be defined by the bidder.
So most of this article was un-researched forargyll speculation about an article read somewhere else and then regurgitated as news and information.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
We gave the information direct from the government tender document – which is hardly unresearched.
If you have other documentary evidence to the contrary, why not give links to it so that readers may see it for themselves, rather than make what at the moment are unsupported declarations?
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Having watched Question Time the other night, I was astounded at the paucity of comment in favour of the union. Even Forsyth made an idiot of himself.
It does appear, yet again, our very own SNP are leading the charge for a ‘NO’ vote in 2014. Their defense probably will be something to do with Green issues or European rules…
Like or Dislike:
0 
0