The Scottish Government’s failure to address ferry issues is “holding Arran back”, Scottish Labour MSP Katy Clark warned today.

The West Scotland MSP spoke out after the full Arran ferry service was again redirected to Troon last week, reducing the number of sailings.

Meanwhile, the completion of major repairs on the MV Caledonian Isles, the main vessel on the Ardrossan-Arran service, was delayed until the end of August.

Last month, it was revealed that passenger traffic on the Ardrossan-Brodick ferry had plummeted compared to pre-pandemic – by 150,000 journeys in just three years.

Ms Clark said a number of island constituents were getting in touch with concerns about their livelihoods and the viability of businesses on the island as a result.

She said: “In recent weeks, island constituents have been expressing deep alarm at the impact of the repeated ferry problems on the island. Islanders have endured frequent delays and cancellations in recent years and we are now seeing the devastating impact.

“Tourism has long been the lifeblood of Arran. Now, visitor numbers are threatened with sailings are less reliable and even the visitor centre on the island is set to close due to Scottish Government cuts.

"These issues are only compounded by the uncertainty surrounding the Ardrossan Harbour redevelopment project and the lack of clarity on whether the service will continue to run from Ardrossan in the long term.

“It’s simply not enough for the Scottish Government to just say Arran is ‘open for business’ without providing any support.

READ MORE: CalMac confirms its main Arran ferry will be out of action until August

"We all want to see the island thrive, but the fact is the Scottish Government's lack of action is now holding Arran back. It’s ordinary people who are suffering from the economic blow.

“Ministers need to come forward with serious planning and investment to secure the island’s future.”

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “We recognise the impact that delays and disruption have on our island communities and this government is committed to investing in our ferry services.

"Delivering six new major vessels to serve Scotland’s ferry network by 2026 is a priority. We have invested more than £2 billion in our ferry services since 2007 and we have outlined plans to invest around £700 million in a five year plan to improve ferry infrastructure.

“The delay regarding the MV Caledonian Isles is regrettable and we expect CalMac to be working with the experts in the field to ensure work is progressed at pace.

READ MORE: CalMac says it 'may have to move out of Ardrossan entirely' in blast at Peel Ports

"The Transport Secretary has previously spoken with CalMac to stress that everything must be done to address capacity and provide assurances for the Arran community as we approach the summer.

"Direct engagement between CalMac, Transport Scotland and the Arran community continues to keep stakeholders up to date on progress.

“The Scottish Government is absolutely committed to ensuring that transport connectivity to our islands is reliable, affordable and inclusive to support the economic and population growth of these communities.

"The recently published Islands Connectivity Plan sets out a comprehensive plan to follow on from the six new vessels being delivered by 2026.”