Ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne welcomes the Minister’s consultation document and his proposal to establish a national transport agency, Transport Scotland.

The company’s submission to the Executive on its consultation Document   Scotland’s Transport – Proposals for a New Approach to Transport in Scotland, submitted today (Wednesday, December 17) states:  “We welcome the recognition this affords to the importance of transport in the development of Scotland’s economy and the well-being of society in general. Equally welcome is the increase in resources to more than £1 billion per annum for transport-related projects and services by 2005-06.”

The consultation document recognises the direct interest which Ministers have in Caledonian MacBrayne. The Company is firmly of the opinion that its ferry services should continue to be determined and controlled at the national level via Transport Scotland.

Alasdair McNicoll, the Company’s Director of Strategic Development, states: “While we can recognise the desire in many quarters for responsibility for ferry services to be delegated to the lowest appropriate level, we believe that, in the current circumstances, the most logical position is for the services provided by the Company to continue to be a national responsibility. This position has been arrived at having taken into account a variety of key factors.

The services provided by Caledonian MacBrayne do not sit solely within the boundary of any single “TRANS” organisation and are similarly unlikely to sit within the boundary of any new sole regional partnership body, especially if, as the Company recommends, the geographic boundary of the bodies is established on the basis of reliable data on travel to work patterns.

Given that the services provided by Caledonian MacBrayne are to be competitively tendered as a single bundle (with the exception of the Gourock/Dunoon route) there is no logic for either the tendering or subsequent management of the service contract to rest with a single body which covers only some of the routes contained within the tendered contract. The contract should be tendered by Transport Scotland and managed by Transport Scotland, having consulted with the appropriate regional partnership bodies.”

CalMac further suggests that when, in preparation for competitive tendering, the Executive split the Company in two (into an asset-owning VESCO and an operating company OPSCO) the logical reporting mechanism for the Company (or both new companies) should be to the Minister for Transport via Transport Scotland – effectively the current position.

According to Alasdair McNicoll:  “Were control of tendering and delivery of CalMac’s services to be passed to the regional level, there could be tension between the requirements of the regional tendering body and the direction given to the Company by its shareholder, the Minister. In effect, the Minister would end-up working under contract to the regional body(ies) for the delivery of the ferry services but retain responsibility for the development of Scotland’s transport services overall.”

CalMac believes that ownership and control of the ferry services provided by Caledonian MacBrayne do not logically transfer easily to the regional level. Additionally, given the level of structural change required within the Company and its services in preparation for competitive tendering, it does not believe that now would be an appropriate time to pursue this option.

Mr MacNicoll added in conclusion: “The Company in recent years has greatly improved its interaction and consultation procedures with the communities it serves and their representatives. We would expect to continue to develop these relationships with any new national and regional organisations which are established as a result of the present consultation exercise.”

CalMac’s full submission to the Scottish Executive may be viewed on the company’s website www.calmac.co.uk; and copies can be requested through the address detailed below.

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For further information on the contents of this News Release, please contact Hugh Dan MacLennan, Public Affairs Manager, Caledonian MacBrayne.

Tel: 0776 435 4021; e-mail hugh.maclennan@calmac.co.uk

Issued:  Wednesday, December 17, 2003 : 1100