MSPs report the evidence they heard that CMAL could be abolished and its ferry procurement role taken into CalMac. Almost all Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) ferry routes in western Scotland have been disrupted, with many links cancelled all day, as high winds sweep in from the southwest. And that is one of the stranger bits of Scottish government policy, having taken over the yards. Stay in touch with CalMac and our latest news, information, and competitions by liking us on facebook. He regrets that he did not stop altogether and await the final design, but says that the shipyard and workforce would have gone without any funding if he had. Accurate and up to the minute Service Status for all CalMac sailings. Both involved the Scottish government brokering deals to bring in private sector operators, which they presented as the saving of ailing industrial sites. And he's leaving open the option of legal action. Travel . Alarming footage shows a ferry rocking from side to side during strong winds as Storm Dennis swept the country. 1 talking about this. This has been one of the most challenging periods in CalMac’s history. Ferguson's does not seem to be seeking other work. But that strategy is yet to be laid out, and no tender is expected until the middle of next year. Safer Travel with CalMac  Apply for a refund. Jim McColl, who used to … Increasingly violent storms will make the crossing to Stornoway more … We laughed the safety instructions finished just as we docked. The Holyrood building project fired up a palpable anger across Scotland at the incompetence involved. Read the CalMac Blog for exciting news and stories from Scotland's west coast and islands. CalMac has confirmed there will be no sailings on Wednesday owing to "weather conditions". Storm, flood alerts and ferries off Created: 18 November 2020 Stornoway News Barra and Vatersay News The Met Office this morning (Wednesday 18 November) issued a warning for strong winds eastern parts of the Western Isles overnight tonight. The letter from former managers attacks evidence to the committee from ministers, describing it as "factually inaccurate and grossly misleading". Tier 3 restrictions 'worst-case scenario' for town, 'Don't give up, the storm ends': A message of hope. STORM CIARA will make landfall in Scotland tomorrow with high winds forecast to … Both led to corporate failure, and a falling out between ministers and entrepreneurs. Was very easy to look-up online the ferry timetables and prices. It counters the claims made by Tim Hair, brought in by the Scottish government to salvage the shipbuilding project after nationalisation, saying his description of what he found at that stage was "ill-informed, grossly misleading and unfairly slanted". Then the former owner of the yard was put into administration by the Scottish government. Meanwhile, MSPs on the committee want a "root and branch review" of the way ferries are procured. S chools were forced to close and ferries cancelled today as Storm Brendan ripped through parts of Scotland with gusts of up to 87mph.. And it says staffing is a problem, because the skilled workers required in Port Glasgow have more secure work in other Clyde and Rosyth shipyards. A leading research role in hydrogen-powered ships has been abandoned, along with a plan to develop an Inverclyde site to build fishing boats. We did Colintraive to Isle of Bute return in a morning, literally a 5 min crossing. However, at Ferguson's in Port Glasgow, the parliamentary inquiry seems likely to be only a lull before a renewed storm. Caledonian MacBrayne and CalMac are trading names of CalMac Ferries Limited, Accept and hide this message about cookies, Winter Timetables 19 October 2020 - 25 March 2021. Creative Connections Lewis and Harris Housekeeper Fire Fighter Assistant Harbourmaster/Pilot Stay connected with the latest news, stories and competitions from CalMac by signing up to receive regular email updates. And soon. And with that, they are calling for a further inquiry, by Audit Scotland. Weeks after the election, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell congratulates the president-elect. That was followed by nationalisation. Ferry operator CalMac serves 53 ports around the Scottish islands across its 28 routes. Some places have seen more than a month's worth of rain fall in about 48 hours. Stay tuned with the latest videos from CalMac over on the CalMac Culture youtube channel. Report. In the current strange Covid-19 environment, it seems that neither the ferry contract nor the loss of £52m on the collapsed BiFab yards in Fife and Lewis seem to be having that impact. 6:55. Accused of failing to invest, the government say that was never its role. Some of our familiar processes have changed. THIS is heart-stopping moment a ferry lurches sideways after being battered by high winds and violent waves caused by Storm Dennis. The letter claims there is no final inventory of required equipment for finishing the ships, saying that is "highly irregular". Two CalMac ferries at the centre of a political storm over cost and delays should be scrapped and work started again, it has been claimed. That was just one of the lessons from the fiasco that was the building of the Holyrood parliament. Browse more videos. Jim McColl, the industrialist hailed by ministers as saviour of the shipyard in 2014 and then ousted from it last year, also by ministers, says the cost should now be put at £255m and rising steeply. This is the official app from Caledonian MacBrayne, the ferry operator serving the Clyde and Hebridean Islands of Scotland. Ten years later, that had not been learned when the Scottish government's agencies set about procuring new ferries for CalMac. CalMac has laid on an … CalMac ferry MV Caledonian Isles rocking in Ardrossan harbour as Storm Dennis hits Scotland. Perhaps it is being readied for the next 19 ships required to bring the ageing, costly and inefficient Cal-Mac fleet into the 21st Century. .css-1xgx53b-Link{font-family:ReithSans,Helvetica,Arial,freesans,sans-serif;font-weight:700;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:#FFFFFF;}.css-1xgx53b-Link:hover,.css-1xgx53b-Link:focus{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Read about our approach to external linking. A further £45m was added as a "loan". Storm Ciara latest warnings: Will CalMac ferries be cancelled as storm hits? Yet that was not adequate protection from risk. The unprecedented storms of January and February were followed by a global pandemic that saw our lifeline services prove their worth. Haqeeqat TV. Mr McColl answered that the first part of sequencing in shipbuilding should have been the propeller and stern block, but that design was not finalised, and so managers had to shift to other work. Ferry chiefs have warned of disruption between the mainland and the Isle of Arran this weekend as Storm Dennis blows in. CalMac pulls out all the stops to get services through to west coast communities - but disruptions persist As the tail end of Storm Gertrude persists, bringing difficult conditions to Scotland's west coast, services across Caledonian MacBrayne's 200-mile long network continue to be disrupted and passengers are, once again, advised to check ahead. A yellow weather warning will be looming over the ferry … Here are their thanks for CalMac… Video, 'Don't give up, the storm ends': A message of hope, Mitch McConnell: Top Trump ally breaks silence to congratulate Biden, LGBT-owned kilt maker denounces kilt-clad Proud Boys, Lizzo sparks body debate with 10-day smoothie diet, Peter Nygard: Canadian fashion mogul arrested, Dresden Green Vault: Fourth suspect arrested over German diamond heist, Japan 'Twitter killer' Takahiro Shiraishi sentenced to death, Coronavirus: France replaces lockdown with evening curfew, Ghislaine Maxwell: Jeffrey Epstein associate seeks $28.5m bail deal, Barbara Kentner: Brayden Bushby found guilty in death of indigenous woman, 'Catastrophic' failings over ferry 'fiasco', loss of £52m on the collapsed BiFab yards, Kate Forbes, is explaining how she is spending £8.2bn of extra funds. It also goes on to list the opportunities lost when the Scottish government nationalised the yard last December. Heart-stopping footage … FERRIES between Ullapool and Stornoway have been cancelled for the whole of today – amid storm force winds in The Minch. .css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link{color:inherit;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:focus,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:focus{color:#B80000;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link::after,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited::after{content:'';position:absolute;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;z-index:2;}'Catastrophic' failings over Ferguson ferry 'fiasco', Top Trump ally ends silence to congratulate Biden. Check what applies in the area you're considering travelling from / to Visit the gov.scot postcode checker, On public transport, you must by law wear a face covering, unless you are exempt. France replaces lockdown with evening curfew, How Covid changed our lives - in 12 charts, New Uighur cotton evidence 'game-changer' for fashion brands, Bogus reports, accidental finds - the Oxford vaccine story. Indeed, it's something that should be taken as read. CalMac expects disruption to services over the weekend as Storm Ciara’s 80mph winds reach Argyll and the Isles. It will remain in place until 11.59pm on Saturday evening. MSPs note the striking lack of transparency as to its purpose. Video: CalMac ferry crew praised for working in Storm Dennis MV Caledonian Isles had some challenges trying to get into Ardrossan harbour during high winds… The storm has hit the UK just a week after Storm Ciara. Their cross-party compromise was to blame everyone - except, it should be noted, the ferry operator itself, CalMac. Travelling with Pets - If you are travelling with a pet, please complete your online booking to secure your space. That would be nice to have. I asked about the practice - which astounded MSPs - of billing for work done, when the work was not in the design or within the sequence, simply in order to keep funds flowing. Dramatic footage show a ferry lurching from side to side as it battled high winds and violent waves from Storm Dennis. Find out how to apply for a refund online. If it's a parliament building, a ship or an extension to your home, beware of changing the design once the work has begun - the cost will probably go up and it will be late. Follow us on twitter for the latest service updates @CalMac_Updates and if you have any questions - just send us a tweet from 8am-8pm, 7 days a week. In the case of the Canadians running DF Barnes, who are expected to lose control of BiFab with its administration this week, they are walking away quietly, feeling let down by the Scottish government. Holyrood was contracted on the basis that the procurer carried the risk of rising cost, and as the design kept changing, that was found to be the main reason the bill soared from £50m to more than £400m. As we stay away, let's remember what we love - incredible island culture, history and unique landscapes. Storms cancel ferries in Scotland and Norway. CMAL's response to the inquiry has been to refer back to its robust evidence to the committee. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. CalMac operations director Robert Morrison told BBC Scotland it was unusual for a storm to be large enough to affect the whole network, but that it was not unprecedented. Will CalMac ferries be cancelled as Storm Ciara hits? 'Catastrophic' failings over Ferguson ferry 'fiasco', 'Don't give up, the storm ends': A message of hope. The Video of US Doctor Rocking Worldwide With New Directions | The Video of US Doctor Rocking Worldwide With New Directions 2020 | the video of us doctor rocking worldwide with new directions. 0:31. This app allows you to keep up-to-date with the latest CalMac service information while travelling or away from home. Yet they blow a hole in anything that passes for industrial strategy. The letter gives repeated examples of approval of the work being done under then operator Ferguson Marine Engineering Limited (FMEL), including the independent inspector put into the yard by Scottish ministers. The international engineering tycoon told me he's digesting the report, but is minded to call for an inquiry, with evidence under oath. 29 October 2020 Update - Read our latest Covid-19 update on safer travel, bookings, timetables and frequently asked questions. Refunds - Find out how to apply for a refund online. The Met Office issued a … © 2020 BBC. Reading between the lines of this report, the MSPs pass on the main and most astounding evidence they received, while choosing not to reach a judgement on which of the contradictory claims about capability and mismanagement were correct. Payment - At our ports and on board our ferries we accept MasterCard, Visa, Apple, Google and Samsung pay. Almost all Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) ferry routes in western Scotland have been disrupted, with many links cancelled all day, as high winds sweep in from the southwest. The CalMac ferry Loch Seaforth prepares to leave Ullapool in calm waters. We love Stornoway. .css-nxqgwe-ImageWrapper{-webkit-flex:none;-ms-flex:none;flex:none;-webkit-align-self:flex-start;-ms-flex-item-align:start;align-self:flex-start;margin-right:0.5rem;width:4rem;border-radius:50%;overflow:hidden;}.css-8doxp5-Placeholder{position:relative;display:block;padding-bottom:100%;background-color:#EEEEEE;}.css-8doxp5-Placeholder img{overflow:hidden;position:absolute;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;justify-content:center;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover;}.css-evoj7m-Image{display:block;width:100%;height:auto;}.css-2kny4l-ContributorLink{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:#B80000;}.css-2kny4l-ContributorLink:hover,.css-2kny4l-ContributorLink:focus{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Douglas FraserBusiness/economy editor, Scotland. 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