WeeBud Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 What improvement is proposed or needed for the gourock- dunoon service? There is currently a passenger only ferry linking dunoon with Gourock train station and a car service with 2 or 3 vessels running depending on season from hunters quay. The passenger only service has been hugely disrupted during winter months with around a third of sailings being cancelled. The replacement vessel takes ten minutes longer and doesn't connect with rail timetables from Gourock to Glasgow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Dickson Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 What improvement is proposed or needed for the gourock- dunoon service? There is currently a passenger only ferry linking dunoon with Gourock train station and a car service with 2 or 3 vessels running depending on season from hunters quay. Did you read the article that Wee Bud supplied. The Cat that runs the crossing is not suitable for the kind of heavy conditions that befall the route during the winter. This has led to a high number of cancellations which then gives Transport Scotland a legal issue due to the terms of the contract they took on. It's much better explained by the article - it's lengthy but it's a good informative read. Wee Bud is correct that it proves my dates inaccurate. The article doesn't disprove Sturgeons commitment to a new vessel, just that she didn't do it immediately. Jaime McGrigor's question to the Parliament last week would suggest that Sturgeon had committed to new vessels for the crossing which she may have done subsequently, but regardless as Ferguson's only real customer the Scottish Government had it within their gift to save the yard or to put the yard under. It looks like they chose the latter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oaksoft Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 Rubbish. Salmond can waste it on whatever he likes - and he does regularly. He can also borrow against future payments, and has done to build a bridge over the River Forth. There is no reason at all why the Scottish Government couldn't have placed orders for new ferries for Cal Mac at all. Indeed Nicola Sturgeon had made a pledge to the people of Dunoon several years ago that they would get new ferries. She's failed to deliver on those pledges, and was pushed on the subject just a few days before Ferguson went into administration. They've sat on their hands for some reason. I suspect it's a blatant attempt at putting workers careers at risk to make some stupid attempt at scoring political points. It'll backfire, thats for sure You must be the only person in the world who thinks we have complete freedom over all of the money our country makes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Dickson Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 You must be the only person in the world who thinks we have complete freedom over all of the money our country makes. Where did I say that? What you have got is the freedom to make choices on what to spend the funding you get through the Barnett Formula on. You've also got freedom to borrow against future funding. The Scottish Government could, if it wished, have placed an order for 1 or 2 ferries for Cal Mac to buy the yard some time. It's just they chose not to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TPAFKATS Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 The passenger only service has been hugely disrupted during winter months with around a third of sailings being cancelled. The replacement vessel takes ten minutes longer and doesn't connect with rail timetables from Gourock to Glasgow.Cheers WeeBud.I can recall when they used to hold the trains back in order to wait on the ferry. Probably can't now as it affects the Scotrail stats and associated penalty clauses? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeeBud Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 Did you read the article that Wee Bud supplied. The Cat that runs the crossing is not suitable for the kind of heavy conditions that befall the route during the winter. This has led to a high number of cancellations which then gives Transport Scotland a legal issue due to the terms of the contract they took on. It's much better explained by the article - it's lengthy but it's a good informative read. Wee Bud is correct that it proves my dates inaccurate. The article doesn't disprove Sturgeons commitment to a new vessel, just that she didn't do it immediately. Jaime McGrigor's question to the Parliament last week would suggest that Sturgeon had committed to new vessels for the crossing which she may have done subsequently, but regardless as Ferguson's only real customer the Scottish Government had it within their gift to save the yard or to put the yard under. It looks like they chose the latter. Just for clarification Stuart, when did Ms Sturgeon commit to such a vessel, I'm not saying she didn't I just haven't read anything as definitive as you are suggesting and whether the timescales would have been realistic enough to save Fergusons. I ask because I hate the political posturing and blame that attaches itself, on all sides, to situations like this. For clarification, I have a vested interest in Dunoon-Gourock services due to having elderly relatives in Dunoon and who find the current service difficult although not impossible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingscot Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 It seems quite a lot of money for a passenger ferry service to be honest. Does Dunoon really warrant it when there is an existing bus service from Gourock Station to Dunoon Town Centre? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TPAFKATS Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 It seems quite a lot of money for a passenger ferry service to be honest. Does Dunoon really warrant it when there is an existing bus service from Gourock Station to Dunoon Town Centre? Erm, you've lost me with that question buddie. Do you mean the passenger ferry is a bus? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Dickson Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 (edited) Just for clarification Stuart, when did Ms Sturgeon commit to such a vessel, I'm not saying she didn't I just haven't read anything as definitive as you are suggesting and whether the timescales would have been realistic enough to save Fergusons. I ask because I hate the political posturing and blame that attaches itself, on all sides, to situations like this. For clarification, I have a vested interest in Dunoon-Gourock services due to having elderly relatives in Dunoon and who find the current service difficult although not impossible. Wee Bud - I can't find it again for some reason but the article in question was on the For Argyle website. It was a report from last week where they reported that Jamie McGrigor had yet again pressed Nicola Sturgeon on when she would deliver her pledde to the people of Dunoon on new passenger ferries. I've tried researching this further since seeing your question last night and I can't find anything on the internet that says Sturgeon had pledged new ferries however tonight I did find this - again on the For Argyle website which suggests I may have misread the quote in the initial article. It would appear from that the pledge given was that she would consider building two new vessels for the crossing and that she would give her answer by the end of August. It's pretty obvious why McGrigor is pushing since he would have known about Fergusons at the time. I suppose the question would be why Sturgeon was delaying her decision, especially if a Yes answer could save Fergusons Two days ago Jamie McGrigor MSP, in the Scottish Parliament, asked the Deputy First Minister to honour her pledge to Dunoon to make it known by the end of August whether or not there are to be two new vessels built for the Gourock-Dunoon passenger ferry contract The article is on here if you want to read further into it. http://forargyll.com/2014/08/why-has-scottish-government-let-fergusons-shipyard-go-down/ Edited August 21, 2014 by Stuart Dickson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeeBud Posted August 22, 2014 Report Share Posted August 22, 2014 Wee Bud - I can't find it again for some reason but the article in question was on the For Argyle website. It was a report from last week where they reported that Jamie McGrigor had yet again pressed Nicola Sturgeon on when she would deliver her pledde to the people of Dunoon on new passenger ferries. I've tried researching this further since seeing your question last night and I can't find anything on the internet that says Sturgeon had pledged new ferries however tonight I did find this - again on the For Argyle website which suggests I may have misread the quote in the initial article. It would appear from that the pledge given was that she would consider building two new vessels for the crossing and that she would give her answer by the end of August. It's pretty obvious why McGrigor is pushing since he would have known about Fergusons at the time. I suppose the question would be why Sturgeon was delaying her decision, especially if a Yes answer could save Fergusons The article is on here if you want to read further into it. http://forargyll.com/2014/08/why-has-scottish-government-let-fergusons-shipyard-go-down/ Thanks Stuart, I honestly thought I may have missed something but this is the political posturing I'm talking about. Politicians, and others, accuse people of things they wanted to hear them say rather than what they actually said. It then becomes fact, even though it isn't, and is regurgitated by people trying to prove their point. For what it's worth we haven't yet reached the end of August and Ms Sturgeon may or may not announce "parliaments" decision by then although whether it would have saved Fergusons or not is neither here nor there. If an announcement was made today for example there would be a design phase, a tendering phase and a planning phase before any new contract got off the ground.....what would have sustained Fergusons in the meantime?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingscot Posted August 22, 2014 Report Share Posted August 22, 2014 Erm, you've lost me with that question buddie. Do you mean the passenger ferry is a bus? Nah there is a direct bus service that goes from Glasgow to Greenock and Gourock then across on the (non-subsidised) car ferry to Dunoon. Whilst I understand it might be nice to have a direct ferry service from train to Dunoon is it worth millions for new ferries? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TPAFKATS Posted August 22, 2014 Report Share Posted August 22, 2014 Nah there is a direct bus service that goes from Glasgow to Greenock and Gourock then across on the (non-subsidised) car ferry to Dunoon. Whilst I understand it might be nice to have a direct ferry service from train to Dunoon is it worth millions for new ferries? Cheers.Not sure what the history is behind the two services being required. I know a few from Argyll used to have a car that they parked at the Western ferries and used to commute and travel when on "mainland" to save paying for the car on the ferry. Even improving the bus service between ferry and Gourock & Greenock stations might help. Mind you there was a fair amount spent repairing the dunoon pier so mibees they need to get their monies worth by investing in another boat or two... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TPAFKATS Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 Clyde Blowers set to buy fergusons with a view to retaining shipbuilding and also other projects like renewables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Dickson Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 Clyde Blowers set to buy fergusons with a view to retaining shipbuilding and also other projects like renewables. That's genuinely good news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TPAFKATS Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 Good to see a shipyard looking at diverse products it could manufacture or service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Dickson Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 It's worth highlighting this thread again given that just one month on the Scottish Government did suddenly find that it was able not only to commit to a new ferry order, but to place one for £12m. As I've said on the referendum thread and earlier on this thread this looks like a deliberate attempt by the Scottish Government to score political points in the run up to the referendum playing fast and loose with the livelihoods of those who relied on the shipyard for their income. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint in exile Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 Don't rise to him. It's well known that he makes things up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faraway saint Posted October 1, 2014 Report Share Posted October 1, 2014 No chance of that - I'm not Faraway Saint. I know, I am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shull Posted October 1, 2014 Report Share Posted October 1, 2014 I know, I am. Thought you were Dunderheid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faraway saint Posted October 1, 2014 Report Share Posted October 1, 2014 Have you "risen" to Dicko then? See you with your hilarious innuendo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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