Inquiry into Ferry Services in Scotland - Information
This page contains information about the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee's inquiry into ferry services in Scotland.
Latest Information
Report
Scottish Government response to Report on Ferry Services in Scotland
Debate in the Chamber - 10 September 2008
Introduction
The Scottish Parliament’s Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee is holding an inquiry into ferry services in Scotland.
The Committee's inquiry will investigate issues including:
- Ferry routes – how useful are current ferry routes and what potential is there for new routes
- Frequency and timetabling of services – are ferry services run at times which are convenient to ferry users?
- Capacity – is there sufficient capacity on routes to meet the requirements of ferry users?
- Integration with other transport modes – how well does this work in practice?
- Competition – how has this affected ferry services?
The Committee issued a call for views on issues relating to ferry services in Scotland.
Progress on the inquiry
- Images from the inquiry - this page contains images from meetings and visits conducted by Committee members during the course of the inquiry.
Decision to hold an inquiry
The Committee discussed the development of the inquiry at three meetings in late 2007. Details can be found below:
Call for views
The Committee issued a call for views on the inquiry on 28 January 2008 with a closing date of 31 March 2008.
Late submissions received before Friday 25 April 2008 were considered by the Committee.
The call for views was publicised by placing leaflets on boats on ferry routes in Scotland and at ferry terminals, issuing a press release, and by contacting organisations who might have an interest in responding.
The call for views included the option of responding via an online survey.
Committee meetings
The Committee held seven committee meetings as part of the inquiry to take evidence from witnesses, including meetings in Oban on Tuesday 4 March and in Lerwick on Monday 28 April.
How to find out more information
Programme of committee meetings
The Committee agreed to hold committee meetings on the following dates to take evidence on the inquiry:
- Tuesday 4 March 2008 - Oban
- Official Report of the Meeting
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Dr Amanda Currie, Secretary, Lismore Community Council
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Councillor Len Scoullar, Scottish Islands Federation
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Sandy Brunton, President, Mull and Iona Chamber of Commerce
- Blair Fletcher, Transportation and Infrastructure Manager, Argyll and Bute Council
- Councillor Roy Pedersen, Highland Council
- Councillor Donald Manford, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
- Councillor Alistair Watson, Chairman and John Halliday, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport
- Duncan MacIntyre, Chair and Ranald Robertson, Partnership Manager, HITRANS
- Tuesday 18 March 2008 - Official Report of the Meeting
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Roderick McLeod, Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland
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Stephen Boyd, Scottish Trades Union Congress
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John Docherty, Unite
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Phil McGarry, National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers
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Paul Moloney, Nautilus UK
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Marjory Rodger, Confederation of Passenger Transport UK
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Peter Williams, First ScotRail
- Tuesday 15 April 2008
- Official Report of the Meeting
- Graham Bell, Press and Policy Officer, Scottish Chambers of Commerce
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Stewart Wood, Vice President and Lisa Webb, Regional Manager, National Farmers’ Union
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Libby Woodhatch, Chief Executive, Seafood Scotland
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David Eaglesham, Policy Adviser, Road Haulage Association
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Gavin Scott, Head of Policy, Freight Transport Association
- Monday 28 April 2008 - Lerwick
- Official Report of the Meeting
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Daniel Thompson, Chair, Yell Community Council
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Hamish Balfour, member, Shetland External Transport Forum
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Brian Kynoch, Chair, Orkney Means Business
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Councillor Allan Wishart, Shetland Islands Council;
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Ken Duerden, Transport Development Manager, ZetTrans
- Tuesday 6 May 2008
- Official Report of the Meeting
- Professor Neil Kay
- Professor Alf Baird
- Ben Carter, Head of Strategic Relations, Andy Stevens, Island Manager – Shetland and Chris Maguire, Strategic Relations Manager, Visit Scotland
- Captain Ron Bailey, Harbourmaster, ClydePort Ltd
- Guy Platten, Managing Director, Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited
- Iain MacLeod, Chairman, Stornoway Port Authority, British Ports Authority
- Tuesday 13 May 2008 - Official Report of the Meeting
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Lawrie Sinclair, CalMac Ferries Ltd
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Bill Davidson, NorthLink Ferries Ltd
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Peter Timms, David MacBrayne Ltd
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Gordon Ross, Western Ferries (Clyde) Ltd
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Andrew Banks, Pentland Ferries Ltd
- Tuesday 3 June 2008 - Official Report of the Meeting
- Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climage Change, Stewart Stevenson MSP
- John Ewing, Graham Laidlaw and Alan McPherson, Scottish Government Transport Directorate
Supplementary written evidence received by the Committee
At these meetings, the Committee took evidence from a number of witnesses with an interest in ferries, including representatives of ferry users, ferry operators, businesses, tourism interests, freight hauliers, farming interests, rail and bus providers, academics, local authorities, regional transport partnerships, and the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change.
Visits
The Committee held three visits in relation to the inquiry to see first-hand how particular ferry services operate.
The Committee visited Arran, Gourock and Dunoon, and Mallaig. A note of each meeting will be produced as part of the Committee's report due to be published at the end of June 2008.
The Committee also held video conferences with ferry users on Stornoway, Orkney and other residents in the Western Isles.
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