Commenting this afternoon, Robbie Drummond, Chief Executive of CalMac, said: “Our service continues to be affected by delays to the annual overhaul schedule and its subsequent impact on vessel deployment.

“With no spare vessels, it is a challenging period for our customers, and we apologise for the disruption this is causing, particularly at the start of the tourist season.

“We are focused on returning those vessels which have required extended repairs back to service as soon as possible and returning to a normal service as quickly as we can. We will continue to work with community representatives and will keep customers informed of any developments.”

In March, CalMac announced a nine-month charter of an additional vessel to provide resilience to its fleet amid delays to two new ships under construction.

The MV Alfred will join the CalMac fleet on a nine-month charter from Pentland Ferries 18th April 2023, following confirmation from the Scottish Goverment and Transport Scotland.

𝐇𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮?

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐑𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐨 𝐒𝐤𝐲𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐦@𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐬𝐤𝐲𝐞.𝐜𝐨𝐦

Kate Forbes to leave Scottish Goverment following rural affair post offer

Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch MSP Kate Forbes is set to leave the Scottish Government after turning down a position in newly-appointed First Minister Humza Yousaf’s cabinet.

Ms Forbes (pictured) is the current Scottish finance secretary, but has reportedly turn down the offer of serving as the minister for rural affairs.

At present the Scottish Goverment is holding a consultation on its plans to introduce Highly Protected Marine Areas by 2026.

The commitment, which is through the Bute House Agreement between the Scottish Goverment and the Green, aims to provide a high level of protection by placing strict limits on some human activities, such as fishing and aquaculture, while allowing non-damaging recreational activities to take place at carefully managed levels.

However, in a statement last week, amid strong opposition within her constituency to the proposals, the Dingwall-born politician pledged to scrap HPMA plans and commission feasibility study into devolving marine powers to local authorities.

Humza Yousaf was this morning sworn in as the sixth First Minister of Scotland during a short ceremony at the court of session in Edinburgh.

Shirley-Anne Somerville, Michael Matheson, Neil Gray, Mairi Gougeon, Angela Constance have all met with Mr Yousaf today as he seeks to form his new cabinet.

MSP Grant joins Co-operative group campaign

Highlands and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant has today called on Scotland First Minister’s to deliver a fairer and more co-operative Scotland.

The Labour MSP (pictured) is campaigning to enshrine a right to food in Scots Law, establish a people’s bus service and double the size of the co-op economy of businesses owned by workers, customers, or community members.

Ms Grant’s calls form part of a campaign for change led by the Scottish Co-operative Party Parliamentary Group.

In a letter to the newly appointed First Minister Humza Yousaf, back by Ms Grant, the Scottish Co-operative are also seeking the Goverment to address the decline in high street businesses, following the closure of more than 17,500 chain store outlets in 2020.

It also pushing for the Goverment to support community-own renewables with an emphasis on cheap and green energy.

In its three-point plan for buses, the group is campaigning for strict condition to be place on public funds provided to private bus companies, a cap on bus fares, and for local buses to be under local control.

News by Adam Gordon.

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