Opposition anger as Glen Sannox ferry pulled from service again

Sailings on the Glen Sannox have been scuppered after the ferry developed another engine fault just days after re-entering service.

Operator CalMac said a “recurring technical issue” was to blame for the temporary suspension of services.

The news comes one week after the ferry, which serves the Arran-Troon crossing, returned to service, following exhaust system repairs.

MV Glen Sannox entered service in January last year. It was four times over budget and seven years late. After around a year of sailings, it now needs new propellers.

The vessel had been due to move to the Barra-Oban crossing later this week due to pressures in the CalMac network caused be technical faults affecting its fleet.

Crossings between Arran and Troon are expected to resume on Wednesday, via chartered catamaran MV Alfred.

Daniel Johnson, Scottish Labour transport spokesman, said coastal communities are feeling the impact of cancellations and reduced services. He commented: “This crisis has been years in the making and blame lies firmly at the door of this chaotic and incompetent SNP government, but no one has ever been held accountable.

“Islanders, taxpayers and shipyard workers are all paying the price for SNP failure, but enough is enough.”

The comment follows a call from Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton to recall parliament over ferry disruption. He said: “That so many ferries have been forced into repairs at the same time is an outrage, and a sorry demonstration of the SNP's dire neglect of the ferry fleet.

“The point of having a Scottish Parliament is to be able to tackle the problems facing our country, but the SNP have refused to come back to Holyrood to sort out this fiasco.

“This is the last chance for John Swinney to come back to Holyrood and help these communities through the crisis the SNP have left them to face.”

Parliament officially dissolves on Thursday.