Irish Ferry

[John S]

DBAG expect an immanent announcement from the Executive. We understand that there has been a high level of interest at the PQQ stage. Irrespective of the number of operators who tender for the route, it will only take one to operate it.

What is important is that the decisions taken in choosing the right operator are based on providing a service, which meets the needs of both communities for economic development and is sustainable in the long-term.

Calmac, I would suspect, will not tender.

[LO]

News Release

St Andrew’s House

Regent Road

Edinburgh EH1 3DG

Telephone: 0131-244 1111



Tuesday, September 20, 2005

SCOTT ANNOUNCES TENDER SHORTLIST FOR CAMPBELTOWN-BALLYCASTLE FERRY SERVICE

The prospect of a Campbeltown-Ballycastle Ferry Service moved a stage closer to-day when Transport Minister Tavish Scott announced the issue of tenders to operate a ferry service to link Argyll and Moyle.

The tender is the next stage of a fresh joint Scottish Executive and Northern Ireland Administration initiative to attract an operator to the route.



Four companies, Harrison’s (Clyde) Limited, Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, Serco Denholm and Western Ferries have been invited to tender for the service.

A maximum £1m annual subsidy over a 5 year contract period is available. The service specification requires an 11 month per year service for passengers and vehicles. Bidding companies may also add routes around the subsidised service.

Mr Scott said:

“We believe that a ferry operation can become a catalyst for economic benefit for the Kintyre peninsula and provide new opportunities for trade and tourism.

“I am pleased that we can now move to the next stage of the tendering exercise.

“There is an encouraging level of interest in the route. We will continue to work closely with the Northern Ireland Administration and the local business communities involved in making every effort to attract an operator.”



Northern Ireland Enterprise Minister, Angela Smith said:

“I am pleased that the new tender process has resulted in an improved level of interest in re-establishing the ferry link between Argyll and Moyle. I hope this will result in a successful operator being found to restore the service.”

Notes for news editors

1. The Scottish Executive and Northern Ireland Office announced a joint decision to pursue a further tendering exercise on 30 March 2005. Both parties agreed to proceed subject to the following conditions:-

· The tender will be based on the same or very similar terms to the 2002-03 competition;

· The maximum amount of subsidy to be made available for support of the services will be £1.0 million per year over the 5 year contract period.

2. The tendering exercise is being led by the Scottish Executive. The timescale for the present exercise allows for tenders from the companies to be submitted within 15 weeks. The procurement is following the general principles of the EU Procurement Directives and the requirements of the maritime cabotage Regulation and State aid guidelines.

3. The Invitation to Tender documents are available on the Executive website at www.scotland.gov.uk



Contact: Stephen Orr 0131-244-5181

News Release: «NewsReleaseNo»

Internet: www.scotland.gsi.gov.uk

[Gus]

Thats really encouraging news that 4 companies have been invited to tender. LO, how long does the tendering process take and should somebody be successfull when will we hope to hear about it???

[LO]

Gus

The Press Release mentions 15 weeks for submission of tenders but we originally thought that it was about 12 weeks for this followed by a period of 3 to 4 weeks for a final decision to be made and announced. We had hoped for a final decision by the end of November but time has slipped over the summer. I suppose there might just be fifteen weeks left of the year but realistically this must now take us into January 2006 before we know who the operator is. This means that it will be a a tall order for the service to be firing on all cylinders during the first year as all the advertising deadlines will be missed. However, some of this lost ground could be mitigated by tapping into the freight opportunities that have been identified, and provided everything is geared up for a major campaign in 2007 all is not lost.

DBAG looks forward to working with the successful bidder, the Scottish Executive, NI Office and Argyll and Bute/Moyle Council to ensure that the route is promoted and monitored effectively over the initial 5 year period.

Les

[John S]

Hi All,

Here's the latest DBAG Press release

PRESS RELEASE 11/10/2005

PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY FOR RETURN OF CAMPBELTOWN TO BALLYCASTLE FERRY

Following the announcement by the Scottish Executive that four companies have been invited to tender for the service, members of the Dalriada Business Action Group met with representatives from Argyll & Bute Council, Argyll & the Islands Enterprise and Visit Scotland on the 5th of October. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss what steps should be taken in preparation for the return of the ferry link between Campbeltown and Ballycastle.

The four companies; Harrisons (Clyde), Western Ferries, Isle of Mann Steam Packet Company and Serco Denholm all successfully completed a pre- qualification stage and will now be developing their own proposals to operate the service in accordance with the terms of the tender document.

All parties agreed that they should work closely together to offer support and guidance to the tendering companies, and also to take steps to ensure that businesses were aware and ready to take advantage of the opportunities the new service would bring. It was further agreed that DBAG should take on the role of driving and delivering local aspects of this work, details of which would be agreed and ratified at a subsequent meeting.

Following robust discussion, it was agreed that the date on which the service commences should not be a critical issue. The feeling was that the tendering companies must be able to make use of the flexibility offered in the tendering document, insistence on a start for a 2006 summer season would be counter productive.

Chairman of DBAG, Les Oman commented “ This was a very useful and historic meeting. It was the first time that we have been able to sit down with our local elected members, Cllrs Kelly, McKinlay and Colville as well as Ken Abernethy of AIE and James Fraser of Visit Scotland, with a genuine prospect of the ferry returning. Everyone of us has a key role to play in the coming months and it was heartening to see that we all spoke with the one accord.” Councillor Alistair McKinlay added “ I am delighted with the unity of purpose around the table this evening. We look forward to working in partnership with AIE, Visit Scotland and DBAG to ensure that all the local groundwork is done to ensure the success of a reinstated ferry service”.

END OF STATMENT

[4th gen Suthen']

Just heard an item on Good Morning Scotland about the proposed ferry. Jamie McIvor was the presenter, no mention that it was his home town though. LO was on too

I did not think it was all that positive an article, maybe suggesting that there were no bids to run the service. Les said all the right things of course and there is likely FAR more going on in the background than can be said on air but I was not hugely encouraged by what was said or the tone of the piece.

But I know nuttin' and just hope it all comes good.

One thing I remember well about the launch of the first service back in '97 was the doom and gloom laden, cynical and unpleasant "it'll never do" type presentation put out by STV..........Alan Saunby if it gets going again keep that Jonah away from Campbeltown........he put the hex on it the last time.

[Ship called Dignity]

From BBC news:-

Anxious wait over ferry service
Campaigners face an anxious wait to find out if a ferry service between Argyll and Northern Ireland will be restored.
The Scottish Executive is prepared to offer a £1m-a-year subsidy, but it is unclear if any of the four shortlisted companies will submit a bid.

The late first minister Donald Dewar launched the first Campbeltown to Ballycastle service eight years ago.

But it proved a commercial failure and operators pulled out in 1999.

The service was launched in June 1997 with Sea Containers setting up the Argyll & Antrim Steam Packet company, known as the AA Line, to run it.

It received £8m from public agencies and the MV Claymore vessel was refitted for the service.


The route needs government investment to make it work
George Lyon MSP

Operators hoped the twice-daily sailings would create more than 200 jobs and raise £7m for tourism across Scotland.

But the AA Line - reported to have lost £500,000 a year on the route - confirmed it was unable to continue in 2001.

Local MSP George Lyon said it was the "last throw of the dice" for the route and that it deserved to be subsidised.

"I believe over time it would be a success, but it needs government investment in the first instance to make it work," said Mr Lyon.

Refloat service

"I don't see where we would go after this if we don't get a bid for the route."

The executive failed in an attempt to restore the service using public money in 2002.

But campaigners have fought since then to restore the link and are confident about the latest attempt.

Les Oman, from the Dalriada Business Group, said: "People felt that the service hadn't been given a proper chance.

"For three years you don't get a proper kick at the ball, but finally people are starting to see tangible evidence that the ferry was making an impact - whether it was hoteliers, restaurants, cashing up at night and actually realising that there are more than a few coins and notes from over the water in the tills.


"Or, the number of cars being driven around by locals who had Northern Ireland plates.

"So there was a degree of commerce going on between the two communities."

Inverary hotelier Donald Clark is confident a restored ferry service would benefit the whole of the west Highlands.

"When the ferry was running we had a large increase in the number of folk from the north of Ireland and from Ireland," said Mr Clark.

"It was easy access and it was in a round trip as a lot of people could have the Irish experience and go round the islands."

The executive has invited four companies to tender for the contract, but it is unclear if anyone will definitely bid before next month's deadline.

None of the shortlisted firms were prepared to discuss their intentions with BBC Scotland.

[LO]

Folks

I wouldn't read too much into the BBC piece.

The interview footage was done a few weeks ago at the same time as they were filming the Fessenden piece at Machrihanish. Both items were being kept for broadcasting during the week between Christmas and New Year.

The piece on the internet seems a bit more frantic than what was broadcast on the BBC news at lunchtime. The premise seems to be that none of the ferry companies would talk to them therefore we should worry. If you think about it logically when it comes to the crunch any bids will be made as the result of a commercial decision. Naturally the ferry operators won't speak on the record in case this offered clues to their competitors and the BBC knows this as well as anyone.

The only safe conclusion we can draw at this stage is that (with the exception of Serco Denholm who have confirmed that they have withdrawn from the race), we don't have a clear handle on the prefered bidders intentions and neither does the BBC!

[Jock Strap]

Well said LO - can only agree.

Companies with an interest are not going to comment at this stage. They will all be keeping it stoom!

Really hope this comes off - nice to see the area on the up and with the right kind of marketing this would work!! We not only have to plug Campbeltown and Kintyre but Argyll as a whole. So what if 60% of the people, for one reason or the other, decide to just land in Campbeltown and visit Inveraray or Oban . If the area makes an impression then I am sure there next visit will be here.

So when will we hear any news?

[4th gen Suthen']

Just heard the bad news on Radio Scotland FFS

Terrible news indeed.

It will suit some folk just fine though

[LO]

Just heard the bad news on Radio Scotland FFS

Terrible news indeed.

It will suit some folk just fine though

There is a small glimmer of hope in the following statement from Transport Minister Tavish Scott as it looks as if the Executive are prepared to keep the flame alive for the forseeable future. We continue the fight and will be seeking urgent talks to establish where we go from here.

Transport Minister Tavish Scott said:

"The Executive and our colleagues in
Northern Ireland are very disappointed at the result of the tendering
exercise. We reported in September that we had received an encouraging
level of initial interest in the route, and that we hoped this would
lead to a compliant bid being received. Unfortunately, the
organisations invited to bid have not pursued their initial interest and
no bids have been received.

"We have always recognised the
importance of this service to the communities in Argyll and Moyle. This
was our second attempt to see the service reinstated. We will now
explore the reasons for the poor response and investigate what options,
if any, are available in the context of this tendering process. There
is no guarantee, however, that this will produce a way forward.

"We will allow a fair and reasonable
time for this process and will make further information available in due
course."

[LO]

Just heard the bad news on Radio Scotland FFS

Terrible news indeed.

It will suit some folk just fine though

There is a small glimmer of hope in the following statement from Transport Minister Tavish Scott as it looks as if the Executive are prepared to keep the flame alive for the forseeable future. We continue the fight and will be seeking urgent talks to establish where we go from here.

Transport Minister Tavish Scott said:

"The Executive and our colleagues in
Northern Ireland are very disappointed at the result of the tendering
exercise. We reported in September that we had received an encouraging
level of initial interest in the route, and that we hoped this would
lead to a compliant bid being received. Unfortunately, the
organisations invited to bid have not pursued their initial interest and
no bids have been received.

"We have always recognised the
importance of this service to the communities in Argyll and Moyle. This
was our second attempt to see the service reinstated. We will now
explore the reasons for the poor response and investigate what options,
if any, are available in the context of this tendering process. There
is no guarantee, however, that this will produce a way forward.

"We will allow a fair and reasonable
time for this process and will make further information available in due
course."

[hoots the scoop]

From ABC website

NO BIDS FOR IRISH FERRY ROUTE
Tue, 10 Jan 2006 12:09:50
The Scottish Executive today announced that no bids had been received from companies wishing to revive the Campbeltown to Ballycastle ferry route.

Councillor Allan Macaskill, Leader of Argyll and Bute Council said, “Naturally we are all bitterly disappointed to learn that no bids have been received for the Irish ferry route.

“Whilst we recognise that this particular window of opportunity is now closed, we will not give up hope that a new one might open in the future and we will undertake to explore any opportunity that may present itself.

“In addition, we intend to maintain the close links that we have developed with the communities of Northern Ireland and Moyle in particular, and make full use of existing routes.”

A spokesperson for Moyle District Council echoed the disappointment felt at the announcement but stressed that the close links already established between the two communities would continue to be maintained and developed.

Me also heard a small story about a group of locals interested in bidding for the ferry???

[Kintyre Lad]

This is really mince - I really thought this would come off this year.

Lets hope all is not lost yet!

[Malky]

Lets hope all is not lost yet!

If at first you don't succeed.......

Malky