A CALMAC ferry which has been out of action for almost two years is set to make a return to the Ardrossan to Arran route today.
The MV Caledonian Isles has not sailed on the route since January last year and has faced a string of issues costing around £5 million.
It did make a return to Ardrossan in June, but it ultimately never set sail as a hull deformity was unearthed.
It has meant that apart from a brief period in the summer when the MV Isle of Arran undertook a few sailings, Ardrossan has been without a ferry to Arran for the majority of the year given that the new MV Glen Sannox is too large to berth there.
CalMac chief executive Duncan Mackison said after this that it was “impossible to say” when the Caley Isles would be in action again, but it is now due to set sail for Brodick at 5pm on Wednesday.
Two campaigns on either side of the Firth of Clyde – Arran for Ardrossan Harbour and Save Ardrossan Harbour – have been fighting fiercely to protect the future of the harbour, which has needed a major upgrade for many years.
Communities are keen to see Ardrossan remain the gateway to Arran given many people in the Ardrossan travel to the island for work, while Arran residents have medical appointments in Ardrossan.
The Scottish Government promised seven years ago that Ardrossan would remain the main gateway to Arran and pledged to fund the multi-million-pound upgrade required to accommodate the new ferries, but the project was paused in 2023 and never got off the ground again.
In February, Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop revealed that money had been set aside to take Ardrossan Harbour into public ownership.
But since then, campaigners have become frustrated at the slow progress of negotiations and several protests have been held outside the Scottish Parliament and the offices of Peel Ports, which owns Ardrossan Harbour.
Since the Glen Sannox began sailing in January, it has been travelling to Arran from Troon.
The journey takes 15 minutes longer than the sailing from Ardrossan – meaning there are fewer sailings per day – and the port is much further from a train station for onward travel to Glasgow.
The MV Glen Rosa – which is due to come into service next year – is also too large to berth at Ardrossan.
Given the Caley Isles is an ageing ship that has experienced a multitude of problems, there are fears that unless Ardrossan Harbour is given the upgrade it needs, ferries will eventually disappear from the town, leading to concerns about the future of the local economy.
