Dave Thompson MSP

Ferry services from Mallaig to Armadale and Lochboisdale were the focus of a question raised in the Scottish Parliament by Dave Thompson, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch.

On Thursday, Mr Thompson told the Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment, Alex Neil, that he agreed in principle with the Mallaig-Lochboisdale ferry route and asked the Cabinet Secretary to consider reconfiguring existing ferry services to allow the new Mallaig-Lochboisale ferry to be introduced. Mr Neil responded favourably, stating that the Scottish Government were ‘already working on that possibility.’ Mr Thompson also welcomed Mr Neil’s guarantee for the future of the Mallaig to Armadale route. Mr Neil also said that the Scottish Government wanted to improve Scotland’s ferry services, as they were key to the social, cultural and economic wellbeing of remote and island communities and that he was happy to meet any communities once the consultation closed.

Mr Thompson said, “I welcomed Mr Neil’s promises to listen to island communities and to discuss their concerns. Both he and the Minister for Housing and Transport, Keith Brown, have said they will visit West Ardnamurchan and the small isles to speak directly to local communities. He has clarified the position on the Mallaig to Armadale route and guaranteed its future.

I asked him to consider ways of introducing the Mallaig-Lochboisdale route in an environment of financial constraints. Mr Neil assured me that he was willing to consider any viable proposition, and was indeed already looking at a number of suggestions which had been made.

Note:

Mr Thompson’s question: I thank the cabinet secretary for clarifying the position on the Mallaig to Armadale route and for guaranteeing its future. I look forward to a visit by him and the Minister for Housing and Transport—or one of them—to west Ardnamurchan and the small isles to speak directly to local communities. In principle, I support a Mallaig to Lochboisdale ferry route—

Dave Thompson: Given the current financial constraints, will the cabinet secretary consider reconfiguration of existing services to allow the new service to be introduced?

Alex Neil: Based on some of the responses that we have had, we are already working on that possibility. We are more than willing to consider any viable proposition that is put to us.