A decision to drop plans for a six-month shutdown of Uig harbour in Skye is “cold comfort” for islanders, according to an MSP.
Instead of a single 24-week closure this autumn, work to upgrade the pier will be cut to 14 weeks and split over two periods.
The first closure will be from January 16 to March 13 next year, followed by a second from October 30-December 11.
The Scottish Government is providing £6 million for the work.
Fears of economic impacts
It was revealed last week that a compromise was on the cards after concerns from communities in Uist and Harris as well as Uig.
A petition organised by Western Isles councillor Grant Fulton against the closure of the Uig- Tarbert-North Uist service to allow for the upgrades gathered more than 40,000 signatures.
Campaigners said it was the latest attempt to get the Scottish Government to take notice of their fears of catastrophic economic impacts of the closure.
While a cautious welcome was given to the 14-week closure, the government has been told it should not not have got this far.
There are also fears that splitting the repairs could lead to temporary shutdowns during the summer, the islands’ busiest season.
Announcing the change, transport minister Jenny Gilruth acknowledged the strength of feeling against a lengthy closure.
“It was very clear in my meetings with Western Isles stakeholders earlier this year that the original plans for the Uig outage were not acceptable to island communities.
“Having convened a number of resilience calls with islanders and stakeholders, I am pleased that we have been able to reach this resolution, which is supported by additional funding from the Scottish Government.
“I appreciate that any level of disruption is not welcome, but this project is vital to improving ferry services and the harbour experience in Uig in the longer term.”
The project is being led by Highland Council.
What will happen during the closures?
Malcolm MacLeod, the authority’s executive chief officer of infrastructure, environment and economy, said the first closure will enable the installation of some of the permanent infrastructure as well as a temporary bridge to allow ferry services to resume for next year’s summer timetable.
The new linkspan will then be installed during the second outage, with completion of the upgrades expected by spring 2024.
“We continue to work to minimise disruption during the works and, when complete, will provide improved marshalling and ferry terminal facilities as well as the ability to cater for large ferry vessels serving the route in the future.”
Highland Council leader Raymond Bremner said: “We are pleased to have been able to find a workable solution that reduces the impact of the much-needed replacement berthing facilities and improvements at Uig Harbour.”
Updates on the project will be provided via local liaison meetings and the project website
Isles MSP Alasdair Allan welcomed the revised programme.
“While nobody welcomes any disruption to lifeline services, I believe this new work timetable is a huge improvement on what was originally proposed.
“I am glad that the Scottish Government has listened to the community and committed the additional investment necessary to help limit the negative impact which the essential work at Uig will have on communities in the Western Isles.”
But Highlands and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant said she is conflicted about the news.
“On one hand, I am pleased and relieved that the minister has listened to the outcry and that Scottish Government has proposed an alternative resolution which has scaled back, although still damaging, closures of lifeline services.
“On the other hand, it’s cold comfort – it should never have got this far.
“There have already been catastrophic consequences for communities in Harris and Uist via lost business and services.
‘Central Belt attitude’
“Although much of this is due to the overall shambles of the ferry network, not just this cockamamie plan.
“But how a six-month closure of lifeline services was ever a consideration, and that the community was forced to implement an outcry is shocking and indicative of the SNP’s Central Belt attitude.”
Ms Grant said the 14-week closure “needs to be properly scrutinised” before she fully welcomes it.
“And then the SNP needs to get on with the job of fixing the ferry service overall by introducing new tonnage and a proper long-term strategy of infrastructure and vessel investment to avoid this nonsense ever happening again.”
Councillor Fulton said the number of people who signed the petition reflect people’s strength of feeling on the pier closure.
“At the end of the day, we all want Uig to be enhanced and developed properly. But not at the risk of having no ferry.”
Mary Schmoller, chair of community landowner Stòras Uibhist, and a founding member of the Lochboisdale Ferry Business Impact Group, said the fact the government was willing to consider new plans for Uig was “a plus”.
Earlier this year, a ferry group group report found that local businesses had lost approximately £648,000 after the MV Lord of the Isles was pulled for repairs in May.
On Wednesday, it was announced that Lochboisdale Ferry Terminal will be closed for two weeks from September 24.
For members of the Lochboisdale Ferry Business Group, yet more ferry disruption is proof that government strategy needs to look beyond just the Uig harbour repairs.
“We want compensation and we want clear contingency plans,” says Mary Schmoller.
“These are our two priorities because the boats are getting older. We know they’re going to break down.”
Conversation