An unlikely participant has emerged in the imbroglio around Argyll and Bute MSP, Michael Russell’s unfortunate suggestion that the marketing slogan for the new CalMac ferry from Campbeltown to Ardrossan should be ‘Sure beats the shit out of four hours on the bus’. [This was a variation of the words used by a young musician on the ferry's inaugural trip and referred to the Scottish CityLink five-returns-a-day-seven-days-a-week coach service between Campbeltown and Glasgow. The service is a partnership between the long established and Campbeltown-based family firm, West Coast Motors and major SNP donor, Brian Souter's Scottish Citylink.]
The Uists, the southern Chain in the Western Isles, have now entered the fray, with muscular intent – and a strategic focus on their own ignored predicament.
Alerted to Mr Russell’s unambiguous support for the Ardrossan ferry above all else by the row that is now ranging over the entire spectru of Scotland’s media, today, in the islands’ community press, Am Paipear, Angus MacMillan, Chair of Stòras Uibhist, has put down a marker.
MrMacMillan says that, in the light of his comments: ‘We need to know more about Mr Russell’s role in securing for Ardrossan – Campbeltown the vessel and service that was denied to Lochboisdale – Mallaig,’
The issue here is that the Uists have long campaigned for a ferry service between Mallaig, north west of Fort William and Lochboisdale in South Uist.
Being served only by the long ferry route from Oban into Castlebay on Barra and on to Lochboisdale, the islanders face a nine-hour journey to the Central Belt.
A ferry from Mallaig to Lochboisdale would see that cut to six hours – a very substantial boon.
The people of the Uists are now calling for a Holyrood Inquiry into how the decision was made, as they, not unreasonably, see it ‘…to favour an Ardrossan-Campbeltown ferry service’ over their own need for a shorter route via Mallaig.
They are asking why the Isle of Arran should not, alternatively, have been used to trial a Mallaig-Lochboisdale service.
One possible difficulty here is not about the route but the use of the Isle of Arran to trial it. This ferry is famously shy in bad weather and the westerly run from Mallaig to Lochboisdale is open to prolonged assault from the prevailing south westerlies.
However, the issue is a real one: of the relative worth of serving Campbeltown with a three-service Thursday-Sunday summer season ferry – where there is a road option, with the journey times barely distinguishable; as against the clear needs of the Uist folk for a much shorter journey time.
Angus MacMillan – who has now written to Transport Minister, Keith Brown on the matter, says: ‘The people of South Uist do not have the alternative of a bus service, whatever adjective is attached to it. We need to know what evaluation of options took place and what influence Mr Russell exerted over CalMac’.
In the matter of Mr Russell’s ‘influence over CalMac’ it is publicly known that, in a local dispute with Archie Robertson, former Chair of CalMac’s parent company, David MacBrayne Ltd, Mr Russell did as he is wont and, not a man averse either to scalps or the theatrical, initiated headlined calls for the head of Mr Robertson – which he got.
It should be noted that Mr Russell did not describe the actual bus service as ‘shitty’, which Am Paipear repeats from inaccurate reporting elsewhere.
The inaugural boat trip after which the MSP made his now widely known remarks was an onboard party with VIP guests – of which he was one – and normal passengers, mingling to share a ‘drinks and nibbles’ reception provided by CalMac.
In good form and on a beautiful evening after a spectacularly lovely trip, the MSP, focusing on entertaining his audience at the ferry terminal reception, will not have intended to be reductive of a key mainland public transport service – but simply did not think about the implications and the impact of what he chose to say.
While this is understandable and brings sympathy, it is also the mark of a less than first rank politician. It is unimaginable that Mr Russell’s predecessor in Argyll and Bute, the genuinely esteemed Jim Mather, would have been so cack-handed.