With so many ferry and port investments ahead, we are talking about at least twenty million for the upgrade of Port Ellen and Kennacraig, it's very scary to read that "ministers would face "difficult decisions" about whether to reduce vital services to Scotland's islands in the forthcoming ferries review". With that in mind you immediately think about the story Carl Reavey wrote in the Ileach in which he said that it could be possible that the new Islay ferry would run from Oban in the future. The quote above came from an article in the Herald titled "Fears over future of Scottish ferry network":

Scotland's ferry network is facing major problems over the next five years as ministers grapple with the enormous capital cost of replacing ageing vessels while trying to work within a stringent budget. Paul Finch, associate director of one the UK's leading transport consultancies, claimed the Scottish Government would have to find £240m to replace vessels which are nearing the end of their life cycle. He warned that ministers would face "difficult decisions" about whether to reduce vital services to Scotland's islands in the forthcoming ferries review unless a way was found to fund replacement programmes. "We are presently investing £24.5m in a new vessel for Islay, and we are currently undertaking a comprehensive review of all Scotland's ferry services to look at what further positive changes and improvements can be made."

Let's hope the changes and improvements they are speaking off will be of a positive nature and not jeopardise the current ferry service Islay has at the moment. Mark Reynier picked up this story too and wrote about it on the Laddieblog. He wrote that due to the plummeting pound the new ferry will cost considerably more than foreseen, that is if the price was agreed upon in euro's!

Tag: ferry calmac