Arran ferry out of action following engine failure

The ferry serving the main Isle of Arran route will be out of service until at least Friday following an engine failure.

CalMac said the ferry experienced a fault with one of its main engines on Sunday morning.

The smaller MV Isle of Arran will take on the service while the MV Caledonian Isles is taken to Troon for repairs.

The Arran service has faced issues over the last few months and the disruption comes during the busy Easter period.

A CalMac spokeswoman said: "MV Caledonian Isles experienced a fault with the port main engine on Sunday morning and plans are being made to take her to Troon for repairs.

"She is expected to be out of service for a period of time and we will provide an update on Friday regarding this.

"We appreciate that this is a busy holiday period and we are doing all that we can to help passengers complete their journeys. Disrupting a sailing is a decision we do not take lightly, and we apologise to our customers and communities."

People travelling to the island have also been asked by Calmac to consider travelling from Claonaig in Kintyre if they want to take a car over to the island.

Two new ferries - including one for the Arran route - are being built at the Ferguson shipyard in Port Glasgow but they have been affected by repeated delays and overspending.

The new Arran ferry - the MV Glen Sannox - was originally due to come into service in the summer of 2018.

Sally Campbell, from the Arran Ferries Action Group, said the cancellations and reduced ferry capacity during a busy period for the island created a "perfect storm" of issues.

"So many people are having enormous problems. We have gone from the potential of 1,000 cars over the Easter period to more like 300 cars. You can imagine the chaos that is causing people," she told BBC Radio Scotland's Lunchtime Live programme.

"We have a lack of a reliable and resilient customer-centred ferry service which is getting progressively worse over time."

The MV Isle of Arran will operate several extra sailings on the Wednesday to try to make up for previous cancellations.

However, the ferry will not be bookable for car passengers and places on the ferry will be on a first come, first served basis.

Additional capacity will also be made available on the Claonaig to Lochranza route during the period of disruption.

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