Category Archives: Submissions

TCC Response to CalMac Consultation on Proposed Changes to Terms and Conditions

Please find the response TCC sent to CalMac below.

The representations in the letter are based on the 25 responses we received to our own survey. Of these 25, 84% of these were island residents; the notable exceptions being tourism business owners and a Coll resident.

Letter to CalMac in Response to Terms and Conditions Consultation – 7.6.22

While some respondents felt that the proposed changes were reasonable; the majority (75%) were against the changes.

Among the reasons cited were that the measures feel disproportionate for the Tiree-Coll route specifically, where no-shows are less common. Many respondents also drew attention to the fact that the lack of refund for short-notice cancellations is counterintuitive to the policy’s aims – without incentive to cancel, no-shows and ineffective use of deck space will remain an issue.

Specific concerns were also raised about how the policy may disproportionately affect crofting communities, where moving livestock brings a host of additional considerations.

We hope that this feedback will inform discussion going forward, and would like to thank those who filled out the survey.

Consultation on future of Argyll and Bute air services

The Argyll and Bute Council is consulting on local air transport services on the West Coast area, linking Oban, Tiree, Coll, Colonsay and Islay. This consultation will inform the next contract for the service and shall consider issues including:

•            Current use of the air service
•            Preferred flight times and days
•            The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to deliver services

The last item is under active consideration following successful trials of UAVs to deliver supplies during the pandemic, resulting in significant savings for the NHS. Active work is in development to create a UAV Hub at Oban airport, with Royal Mail also interested in the possible applications.

If you would like to respond to the consultation directly, or just find out more, you can do so here: https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/consultations/argyll-and-bute-council-west-coast-air-services-pso

TCC will be happy to make a submission on behalf of Tiree constituents, so if you would like to feed in your views to that, please email TCC member Phyl Meyer at phyl@tireecommunitycouncil.co.uk