[Scottish Parliament, 09.07.2024] Responding to news that CalMac’s charter of the MV Alfred for use on the Clyde and Hebrides routes will be further extended until March 2025, Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston said:
“This news comes as little surprise given the latest delays to the delivery of the MV Glen Sannox and uncertainty with when that boat will actually make it into service.
“I raised the prospect of a further extension of the MV Alfred’s charter with the Transport Secretary before Parliament went into recess, but was told this was a matter for CalMac. However, given the original hire of the MV Alfred cost taxpayers £1m per month, SNP ministers must come clean on how much public money is being allocated to this latest extension.
“And while I recognise that the Alfred plays an important role in plugging the gaps the SNP’s mismanagement of our ferries network has inflicted on the West Coast, this ship was built to serve the Pentland Firth route and so Orkney has been with an older and smaller replacement vessel serving the short sea route.
“I have long warned that, without urgent action, the mess the Scottish Government has made of investing in our ferries network, and the havoc that has already caused on the West Coast routes, would start to impact on communities across Scotland.
“That is now demonstrably the case”.
ENDS
Subscribe to Jamie Halcro Johnston MSP's monthly newsletter here.
