Liberal Democrats reveal Scotland’s most unreliable ferry routes

Scottish Liberal Democrat communities spokesperson Willie Rennie MSP has today revealed the top ten most unreliable ferry routes across Scotland, as he accused the SNP-Green government of leaving local people “adrift” amid the country’s ongoing ferry disruption.  

Analysis of a Scottish Liberal Democrat freedom of information request to CalMac shows the most unreliable ferry routes during 2022, based on the total number of late or cancelled sailings.  

The top 10 most unreliable ferry routes are as follows:    

1. Gourock – Dunoon. 2,963 sailings were cancelled and 66 arrived late.  
2. Ardrossan – Brodick. 873 sailings were cancelled and 997 arrived late.  
3. Largs - Cumbrae Slip. 857 sailings were cancelled and 581 arrived late.  
4. Mallaig – Armdale. 993 sailings were cancelled and 305 arrived late.  
5. Tarbert LF – Portavadie. 717 sailings were cancelled and 523 arrived late.  
6. Colintraive – Rhubodach. 964 sailings were cancelled and 49 arrived late.    
7. Wemyss Bay – Rothesay. 720 sailings were cancelled and 290 arrived late.  
8. Oban – Craignure. 347 sailings were cancelled and 552 arrived late.  
9. Gourock – Kilcreggan. 807 sailings were cancelled and 29 arrived late.  
10. Fionnphort – Iona. 526 sailings were cancelled and 242 arrived late.  

Mr Rennie said:

“Communities across Scotland are being left adrift by an SNP-Green government that makes getting from A to B mission impossible.  

“These figures show that it’s a roll of the dice whether your lifeline service will be late or cancelled.  

“This means local people losing business, missing events and struggling to get to critical medical appointments.  

“Ministers should be compensating people for the mayhem they are causing, but they are point blank refusing. Instead, the SNP and Greens sit idle while government-owned Fergusons shells out tens of thousands in bonuses to bosses.  

“The Scottish Government must finally invest in the ferry network and put together a long-term strategy for replacing boats which have been in use for decades.”