No news on ferry fares for coming year

Transport Scotland has yet to provide Calmac with fare scales for all Scottish Government-funded ferry contracts for the summer 2012 timetable. As a result, Calmac is not able to accept any bookings for ferry services beyond March 30 2012 – a situation which Argyll and Bute council fears will have a serious effect on the local economy.

Councillor Duncan MacIntyre, Argyll and Bute’s spokesperson for transport and infrastructure, said: ‘It is unacceptable to have a situation in which people who are trying to book sailings for spring or summer next year find themselves unable to do so.’ He pointed out that if local haulage companies and suppliers cannot book vehicles ahead on ferry services, this could result in shortages of essential supplies for island communities, and is urging the Minister to act on the question without delay.

Calmac usually publishes ticket pricing information in its Explore brochure, available from October each year. The company not yet been able to publish its 2012 brochure because of the lack of fare scales from Transport Scotland.