Arran ferry cancelled until Wednesday lunchtime at least

A double whammy of storms and a technical fault on the MV Isle of Arran led to cancellations yesterday and today (Tuesday, January 23).

The fault on the main starboard engine on the 40-year-old vessel was discovered when essential maintenance was carried out while the ferry was out of action during the storm.

Thankfully, the part needed to repair the MV Isle of Arran has now arrived and engineers are working on the vessel today.

But they will need to carry out sea trials before it can return to action on the Arran route.

The trials will be carried out on Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, the MV Alfred continues to be out of action following a dive inspection of Ardrossan's Irish Berth.

The harbour authority last week ordered all users to cease operations from the berth, which meant the MV Alfred - called in to provide extra capacity on the route while its regular ship, MV Caledonian Isles, is away for its annual overhaul - could no longer operate.

CalMac has already made arrangements to sail from Troon Harbour to Brodick when the new ferry Glen Sannox - which can't operate from Ardrossan until the harbour is upgraded - finally goes into service after years of delays.

A spokesperson said today: "Due to the continuing adverse weather that is forecast with Storm Jocelyn and to allow the vessel to carry out sea trials once repairs have been completed, the following sailing have been cancelled: Depart Ardrossan – 7am, 9.45am and 12.30pm and depart Brodick – 8.20am, 11.05am.

"We will update at approximately 10.30am tomorrow to confirm sea trials."

Delays to the long-awaited Ardrossan harbour redevelopment were announced last summer as the Scottish Government called for an examination of the scope and growing costs of the project.

Transport minister Fiona Hyslop told the Scottish Parliament in November that there was no timescale yet for the redevelopment work - with local MSP Kenneth Gibson saying the delay was "of great concern".