The UK Government today chaired a "summit" on Scotland’s troubled ferry services, with representatives of CalMac and island communities.

As revealed by our sister paper Herald Scotland, Scotland Office minister John Lamont hosted a roundtable including CalMac chief executive Robbie Drummond and operations director Robert Morrison. 

Also taking part were the CalMac Ferries Communities Board, Colonsay Lifeline Transport Group, Arran Community Development Trust, Mull and Iona Community Trust and Tobermory Harbour Association.

Ferry operator CalMac is owned by the Scottish Government and transport is devolved.

However, in light of unreliable services and the overdue ferries at Ferguson Marine, the Scotland Office said the UK Government was “monitoring the situation closely”.

CalMac cancelled 40,989 sailings between September 2018 and April 2023, with “non-weather related cancellations” such as breakdowns in the ageing fleet, rising from 1,371 in 2017//18 to a peak of 5,805 in 2021/22, before dropping to 4,620 in 2022/23. 

Read more: Scotland Office says it is 'monitoring devolved ferry issues closely' | The Herald (heraldscotland.com)

Mr Lamont told Herald Scotland: “It became clear to me that there was an opportunity for CalMac and Transport Scotland to engage more effectively with the people and communities they serve.

"I want to ensure that their voices of stakeholders are being heard, which is why I have offered to host this forum today. It is important that we come together to find solutions to these problems where we can.

“I am aware that some stakeholders have ideas for how CalMac services can be improved and it would be great if we could build on some of these ideas.”