A new Sound of Sleat Ferry Committee
Added at 07:56 on 26 April 2025
An opportunity to represent the community on a new Sound of Sleat Ferry Committee. A message from Rob Ware, secretary of Sleat Community Council.
The CalMac Ferries service between Mallaig and Armadale remains a key economic driver for the two communities on either side of the water. In recent months colleagues from Mallaig and Sleat have been meeting to discuss the formation of a new ferry committee that would be the primary liaison between users and CalMac, Transport Scotland and Caledonian Maritime Assets (CMAL). CalMac's senior management team have welcomed the news that a stakeholder group made up of community representatives is to be formed, providing a single point of contact for all matters relating to the ferry service. This would include provision of that service, timetable changes, future vessel deployments, harbour infrastructure and at times disruption. Until now this work has been undertaken informally which at times can be a huge amount of work year-round.
This is now where you come in!
It is envisaged that the new group will consist of around 12 members and ideally a coordinator acting as the first point of contact for all ferry and related public transport issues. We are delighted that officials from the West Highland Chamber of Commerce have offered help to establish the new group.
From Sleat, ideally we would like to have a representative from the following sectors:
Sleat Community Trust to include the Sleat tourism group
Sleat Community Council
Sabhal Mòr Ostaig
a person to represent the wider business community in Sleat
a regular user of the Mallaig service as an independent traveller
These are just suggestions at the moment but if you would like to know more or would be prepared to put your name forward please get in touch at the email below. A similar exercise to find group members in Mallaig and nearby communities is underway.
The formation of an official ferry committee is a new opportunity for community voices to be heard by the agencies that provide our vital ferry service. It is expected that the group would meet every three months but detail such as this will be agreed among those who put their names forward to represent Sleat and Mallaig/Morar.
If you are keen to help, please email telling us about yourself and why you would like to become part of the new group. All emails will be in strictest confidence. In due course it is expected there will be a new website and a Facebook business page.
N.B. note it is mail.com and not gmail.
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Thank you.