Meeting of the Parliament 19 March 2025
It is recognised that the ferries in Turkey are late due to a multitude of issues. The issue in Scotland, however, is that the constant drip, drip of delays and problems with the ferry network mean that any delay in any part of the system has a significant impact on islanders.
With each press story, some people might have become hardened to the failings—as has been demonstrated by members in the chamber so far. However, for our island communities, they are not just headlines but lived realities. When a ferry service is cancelled, it is not just an inconvenience—it is damaging to the local economy, to businesses and to families. People miss hospital appointments; businesses lose customers and stock; and communities are effectively cut off. That lack of connectivity is not a minor inconvenience.
For too long, the Scottish Government has failed to plan properly for the renewal of the ferry fleet. The ageing vessels in the fleet are repeatedly out of service for costly repairs and there has been no long-term plan to replace them. That is not accidental—it was a political choice. The decision to not have a rolling renewal programme was taken in full knowledge of what the consequences would be. That neglect has deprioritised the programme and led to the situation that we are in, and island communities are living with the results.
Two years have passed since the Public Audit Committee’s damning report on the delivery of new ferries for the Clyde and Hebrides. It highlighted failures in governance, transparency, accountability and communication. Now, the decision to award preferred-bidder status for the small vessel replacement programme contract to a Polish shipyard has dealt another blow to the Scottish shipbuilding industry. Ferguson Marine had included that contract as a key part of its five-year business plan. Yes, other work is taking place and will be bid for, but the loss of that work risks undermining the future of the yard and the workers who rely on it.
What message does that send to the skilled workers and apprentices at Ferguson Marine? In all the committee inquiries, BBC documentaries and newspaper columns, the workers have rightly been recognised for their skills and commitment—they are not at fault.
Although the Ferguson Marine bid was rated highly for quality, that was not enough for it to secure the work in the face of price competition from overseas. That the procurement process focuses more on cost than on the wider value could and should be looked at. Scottish shipbuilding has long been a source of pride as a strategic industry that creates jobs, supports communities and preserves vital skills. The outsourcing of the contract is a wasted opportunity to invest in domestic skills and infrastructure.
The 10 per cent fare hike for passengers, which operators did not ask for, adds insult to injury for islanders. In her letter to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee, the Cabinet Secretary for Transport argued that it was necessary to fund future vessels and infrastructure investment, but that only exposes the Scottish Government’s past failures to plan adequately. The burden of mismanagement is being shifted to passengers, who are now paying more for services that remain unreliable. That is a recurring theme across public transport.
We all want a public transport system—that includes ferries—that is accessible, available and affordable, but the Scottish Government cannot continue to repeat that message while taking actions that go against it. Affordable fares are essential to encouraging more people to use ferry services. The fact that the increase comes after a previous freeze is little comfort to those who rely on those services in order to live their lives. We need to look at how the fare structure is working, including the road equivalent tariff, and the potential for concessionary schemes that will increase the use of ferries among underrepresented groups.
If we want a ferry network that works for island communities, we also need to fix the governance structure. The split between Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd, Caledonian MacBrayne and Transport Scotland is chaotic and confusing, and it has allowed for the evasion of responsibility for failings. It does not provide accountability for the communities that are most reliant on ferry services and are most impacted when things go wrong.
Scottish Labour supports a direct award to CalMac for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract, but we also seek assurances that that will not prevent any progress to improve governance. I know that, this morning, the cabinet secretary was due to meet unions, passenger groups and local authorities, and such engagement is to be welcomed. In her speech, I ask the cabinet secretary to provide an update on when a decision will be reached on the contract.