Main Fleet News Fleet News Features CalMac Reports Worst Weather for 15-20 Years

Date: 04/12/06 News Feature: CalMac Reports Worst Weather for 15-20 Years. Official Press Release From CalMac...

Ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne has described the recent run of bad weather as possibly the worst in the last 15-20 years. Ferry services throughout the network have been severely disrupted for almost a fortnight and the current storms show little sign of abating. The Company has moved to clarify its position with regard to disruption and cancellation of services. Operations Director Phil Preston said: “Obviously we regret the disruption to services the recent run of bad weather has been causing, but these are wholly exceptional weather and tidal conditions which make it impossible to operate the timetable on many occasions. There isn’t a service which has not suffered disruption in recent weeks and we are battling the elements on all fronts at the moment. There is a combination of high tides, strong swells and very high winds which is making life exceptionally difficult” Responding to criticism that not enough effort was being made to sail to some islands, Mr Preston said: “With the greatest of respect to customers, they are not in the best position to decide when we should or should not be sailing. The Master has an absolute right, enshrined in law, to take the decision on whether it is safe or appropriate to sail. We exist to provide lifeline ferry services and it is not within our design or wish not to sail. Circumstances dictate what happens and the Master is the only person in a position to make the decision based on all the available information and that includes sea state, cargo to be shipped, weather forecast and current conditions, both at the port of departure and en route. There is no point in putting people through an horrendous journey only to have to turn back or not be able to berth” Winds speeds well in excess of 100 miles an hour have been recorded by ships over the past weekend and Masters with twenty years experience have been saying that they have not encountered conditions such as those being experienced currently. The situation has been exacerbated in some areas such as Gigha by a mass of seaweed at the slipway at Tayinloan, which is preventing normal operation. Mr Preston added: “We are doing everything we can at the council-owned pier and we have stressed to the local authority the urgency of the situation. Having said that, today the Erskine Bridge is closed and we are successfully managing to keep the Upper Clyde services going, albeit with the Wemyss Bay to Rothesay services diverted to Gourock. Where services are diverted, we are assisting foot passengers by supplying bus services but where there are cancellations due to the weather, there is unfortunately nothing we can do. We regret the disruption caused by the interruptions in services, but customers should be assured that we are doing everything possible to maintain the published schedules. As soon as the weather abates, we will pick up as best we can and get things back to normal.”

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