Sunday ferries - 2
Posted: Monday, 03 April 2006 |
Confirmation today that it is an operational decision for CalMac to put on Sunday ferries if that's what they want to do within their operational remit. They have to provide a lifeline service to the islands. To transport goods and people to and from the mainland, in cooperation with the local authorities.
At the end of the day however, CalMac do not require the consent from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar to operate a ferry on Sunday. They consult with the Comhairle, and will take local sensitivities into consideration. However, I really want to stress the point that (a) it's CalMac's decision, and they can do what they want (b) there are already ferries running on Sundays elsewhere in the Western Isles area. Objectors, I'm very, very sorry, haven't got a leg to stand on if they should wish to take things to a court of law. There are glaring anomalies in the Comhairle's transport-on-Sunday policy.
I do wish to stress that the Stornoway Sunday is something that I would actually be very sorry to lose. It's one of the redeeming features of the place that rampant consumerism ceases for a day, that it's the gulls roaming the streets rather than cars and shoppers. I also respect religious principles, but it should not impede people's right to move about. There was talk of a Sunday ferry between Ullapool and Stornoway, which is (strictly speaking) not necessary. Once the Sunday sailings on the Sound of Harris start up, you can drive down to Leverburgh, cross to North Uist, drive the 10 miles to Lochmaddy and sail to Skye. Slightly roundabout and more expensive, but a small price to pay.
Out of my backyard? No comment......
Comments
What if the Calmac crews don't want to work Sundays - will they be forced to or will we have Filipinos sailing the ships for them?
calumadmiral from Ness
A Sunday ferry between Ullapool and Stornoway might (strictly speaking) not be necessary to you, but if your child lived with your ex partner on the island and you had to be back at work on the mainland on the Monday, I guess you'd feel differently. The sooner the place wakes up and catches up with the rest of the planet, the better.
Sam from Not the back of beyond any more
Calumadmiral, the crews are already working on Sundays - maintenance of the vessel.
Arnish Lighthouse from Stornoway
As soon as the place wakes up none of us will be able to afford to buy houses on Lewis and your maintenance payments might go up. It isn't that the service is unnecessary the only people that want it are the incomers hell bent on upsetting a gentle way of life that the rest of Britian has managed to lose.
Not in my boatyard from Ness
The irony of the situation with the Sunday ferries is that the new ferry run to Tarbert, and probably soon to Stornoway, will make Lewis and Harris even more attractive househunting propositions for wealthy southerners sick of the rat race and looking for a place to get away from it all, but they will take all their prejudicial baggage with them, including the desire to 'civilize' the locals by hauling them into the very environmentally unfriendly 21st century via Sunday ferries, more Sunday flights, supermarkets open on Sunday etc., thereby helping unwittingly or otherwise in turning Lewis into the very thing they were running away from in the first place - a peaceless place with community spirit and neighbourliness conspicuous by their absence.
Reg from Lewis
Don't worry Not-in-my-boatyard, just plant a handful of winter-vomiting bugs on the ferry on Saturday. That's what kept the Arran ferry out of action today, so it should work here.
Arnish Lighthouse from Stornoway
We've had Sunday ferries for ages, but if you stroll along the street in Stromness on a Sunday, it is sleepy hollow. How would it be if the non-working 7th day was taken to its logical conclusion - ie hospitals shut, no air ambulance, no controllers on call, no police, coastguards, firefighters either........surely if its wrong to work on a Sunday then its wrong to work on a Sunday.
Flying Cat from Orkney Mainland
i thet istime theisland moved withthe convencesthe island folk want all tbbhbbbbemodern convence but cant haveboth
ettamac53@tiscalli.co,uk from birmingham westmidlands
when I first moved to these islands I started work as a homehelp and was SHOCKED that these "we mustn't work on a Sunday" islands expected homehelps to work on Sundays, it was because I had to work Sundays with no time off during the week so I was working 7 days a week that I stopped working as a home help, I agree with Flying Cat, if it is wrong for one it is wrong for all, walk to church on Sunday as orthodox Jews walk to the Synagogue on Shabbat, I have full respect for others beliefs if they are true but can not respect people who change rules to suit what they want to do, if the ferry men are already working Sundays then shouldn't you be protesting that they stop,
ex homehelp from Lewis
Reg from Lewis "wealthy southerners sick of the rat race and looking for a place to get away from it all, but they will take all their prejudicial baggage with them, including the desire to 'civilize' the locals" Racism awarness trailers are currently being shown not on Scottish TV - not English!
Terry from South of the border
Its happened and we are all still here to tell the tale. The third sailing left the pier a wee while ago greeted with the same reception as the previous sailing today, complete silence, no protest, nowt. A couple of banners hung on lamposts and tape across the slipway. Now as I see it calmac are not breaking any law, however, am I right in thinking the Comhairle have a policy on people erecting banners at the road side especially where they may cause accidents, at junctions etc, maybe they should take a wander down here. Does wrapping tape onto lamposts and across a slipway not verge on vandalism. I don't see what all the fuss is about, nobody is forcing anyone to use the service and nor should the anti prevent those wishing to use the ferry from doing so. Ok they will use the petition argument, well in my view that petition was totally flawed , for one you weren鈥檛 asked to sign it you were told to, I had first hand experience of this in a shop in Tarbert, I refused. Like someone said to me and I quote 鈥渋f a councillor, church elder, doctor, doctor鈥檚 wife comes to your house with a petition you are under pressure to sign it whether you want to or not鈥, finally you will find that some folk signed it a couple of times over, first when someone came to their door with it then at the shop counter. Why have they targeted the Sunday ferries, I didn鈥檛 hear them say anything about fishfarms working on a Sunday, the Scalpay fish factory( when it was open) vessel back and fore from collecting fish from cages on Sunday, local fishing boats working out of Harris on a Sunday, Hotels open on a Sunday, I could go on, you see they only bring this 鈥淪abbath鈥 issue into things when it suits them, they draw a line in the sand showing whats acceptable and whats not. And before I get labelled with being an incomer with alien views, well sorry to disappoint you folk, I am as Hearach as the next man, and believe me when I say I am far from being alone in the views I have just expressed.
Renish point from Leverburgh
Terry, that's not really racism, it's reality, as living here and observing the changes in the isles in past quarter century have told me. But I am referring to a very small section of people who move here from down south, not the so-called 'English settlers' as a whole (many of whom I get along with quite well, better than with some 'locals' in fact). I find it astounding, though, that some of the very people who sit in their churches grinding their teeth thinking of ferries coming to Lewis & Harris on Sundays are welcoming the proposed windfarms on the west side of Lewis and Eishken with open arms, taking everything the developers feed to them as gospel. Anyone like to place a bet on which will change most people's lives more profoundly (and more negatively)? Given the choice, I'd take the Sunday ferries every time as the 'lesser of two evils', by a long distance. Change is inevitable, and is in fact good if it's managed by people who know what they're doing.
Reg from Lewis
Reg, that must be the biggest 'IF' in an infinity of ifs.
Flying cat from on a coracle in the Atlantic
If people wish to respect the Sabbath they may do so - nobody is stopping them. I dont see why so many of the self-righteous Christians in the Hebrides cant enjoy ( if that is the word) the Sabbath without the comfort of knowing that theyve managed to force their belief down everyone elses throat by stopping them from doing anything on Sunday.
Calum from air falbh
The Wee Frees are as keen on keeping their [tenuous] grip on power in Lewis as Blair is on hanging on grimly in Downing Street. They both have a lot to answer for. But the WF's days are numbered and they know it - Cal Mac have started the Harris ferries and they'll do the same in Stornoway shortly and everybody afterwards will wonder what all the fuss was about, and who were the Wee Frees again? Still, as somebody said recently, "Coma leat, nuair a thig na 'turbines', bith sinn gu leir sona" (sarcasm intended).
Tormod from Leodhas
It's about time certain people woke up the the fact that if Stornoway want's tourism to benefit the island it is about time tourist facilities were open on Sundays, including a Sunday ferry from Stornoway to Ullapool. Also open public toilets on Sundays. The wee frees do not have to use the ferries and nobody is trying to stop them worshiping on a Sunday either.
Peter from Stornoway
It's about time people stepped into the 21st century if they dont agree with it then they dont have to use it!!! I think its a great thing,but it is bugging me the way people are going on about it.
kathleen from lochmaddy
If people who 'respect the Sabbath' had more respect for those who don't respect the Sabbath quite so much, then those who respect the Sabbath less would respect those who respect the Sabbath more, more. I think I'll go for a lie down.
Jimmy from Eilean Leodhais
i think everyone in scotland should respect the sabbath its one day a week of rest and quietness "have respect for the Lord people"
james wallace from glasgow
I have been in Lewis since late 2004 and am observing life on this fascinating island from an outsider's perspective. I look out at the lighthouse every day - as it looks out over the island and the sea. 
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