West Scotland MSPs slam ScotGov over ferry fare increase

And they warned that it could have devastating consequences for tourism and businesses.

West of Scotland Labour MSP Katy Clark, a long-time advocate for improving Scotland's ferry services, has expressed outrage at the latest fare hike, calling it a "hammer blow" for communities already suffering from unreliable ferry services, delays, and cancellations.

And West Scotland Conservative MSP Jamie Greene said ferry users were continuing to pay the price for SNP failures.

Transport secretary Fiona Hyslop announced on Monday that a 10 per cent hike in fares on all CalMac routes, including the passenger services linking Gourock with Dunoon and Kilcreggan, will come into effect next spring.

Ms Clark had previously condemned the SNP Government's handling of the ongoing ferry crisis, describing it as a national emergency that requires immediate and sustained investment.

She is now urging the government to rethink its decision, prioritise investment in ferry infrastructure, and develop a long-term strategy to ensure that island communities receive the reliable and affordable services they need.

Ms Clark said: "I am deeply concerned by the Scottish Government's decision to impose a 10 per cent increase in ferry fares.

Labour MSP Katy Clark (Image: Newsquest) “Communities who rely on these ferries as lifelines are once again being unfairly burdened by rising costs.

“This price hike is simply another blow to those already suffering from poor service reliability, which I have repeatedly condemned as a national crisis. We don’t need anything else to discourage people from using our ferries."

The ferry fares increase was revealed in a letter by Scottish transport minister Fiona Hyslop.

Ms Clark added: “The Scottish Government has failed to implement proactive solutions to address the chronic mismanagement that have hit our ferry services. Instead, they are choosing to pass the financial burden onto to customers, which is unacceptable.

“It’s time for the Scottish Government to step up and prioritise investment in our ferry infrastructure.

“A long-term strategy is urgently needed to address these ongoing challenges, not just stop-gap measures like fare hikes. Communities deserve reliable, affordable, and efficient ferry services - not the broken system they are currently dealing with.

“I urge the Scottish Government to rethink this damaging decision and focus on real solutions that will bring lasting improvements to Scotland's ferry network.”

Conservative MSP Jamie Greene (Image: Contributed) Fellow MSP Mr Greene said: “When communities were promised a better ferry network by ministers, a sharp fare increase is the last thing they had in mind, particularly after a period of such substandard service.

“This decision will come as another blow to and businesses who are already struggling to stay afloat, as well as the many residents who rely on the ferry for their livelihoods.

“As all the signs point to another winter of ferry failure and network chaos, islanders are right to be furious at this decision. The Scottish government have consistently chosen to underinvest in our islands and ferries, but it is islanders who continue to pay the price.”

The fare hike will come into effect on March 28.

The same 10 per cent increase on the publicly-subsidised Northern Isles routes to Orkney and Shetland will take effect on January 1.

Transport secretary Ms Hyslop said: "We froze ferry fares for 2023-24 instead of a 9.1 per cent inflationary increase in order to help people, businesses and communities at the height of the cost-of-living crisis, and to continue to recover from the impact of the pandemic.

"However, doing so meant that government effectively bore the loss of revenue in the longer term. In the current fiscal climate that loss, at £10 million a year, is too challenging to continue.

"Reluctantly, we are having to raise ferry fares in the coming year by 10 per cent, bringing fare levels back to around what they would have been had fares not been frozen in 2023-24.

"This means, in real terms, fares have broadly increased in line with inflation over time."