Argyll and Bute Council has agreed to give the Jura Development Trust £24,000 to keep the passenger ferry service between Jura and Tayvallich operational for summer 2011. The money is a one off until the findings of the Scottish Ferries Review are known.

It has been agreed at a meeting today (June 2nd) there will be support for the Jura Development Trust from the Business Gateway team with the development of a business model. The council is fully supportive of the case the trust is putting to the Scottish Government for sustainable government funding of the Jura to Tayvallich fast ferry service through the Scottish Ferries Review.

Spokesperson for Rural and Island Affairs, Housing and Gaelic, Councillor Robin Currie said “I am absolutely delighted that Argyll and Bute Council is financially supporting the Jura passenger Service this year as the continuation of this service is vitally important to the economy of the island. Myself and others have been determined that this service continues this year because if it were not to run, it would be extremely difficult to resurrect the service next year. The Council and Jura Development Trust both agree that the funding for ferry services should be the remit of Scottish Government, so jointly we will be campaigning for the Scottish Government to take over the funding of the service in future years.”

This press release was posted in the Facebook Group “Save the Jura Passenger Ferry“

On a personal note I’ve often wondered why Jura had such a different position in the larger West of Scotland Calmac dominated ferry system. After all, Jura has a larger population than some other islands on the west coast of Scotland who do have their own, or indirect, Calmac Ferry such as Gigha, Rum, Coll and Lismore. One can argue that these islands have no alternative ferry route via another island but Jura wouldn’t need an alternative ferry link via Islay either if it would have a direct link with the mainland. In my humble opinion having a direct link to the mainland is the only way the island would be able to develop economically in the future. And that direct link could be a passenger ferry or a combined car/passenger ferry. We know already that money will be lost anyway, be it through a loss making Calmac Ferry service such as the one on Gigha or through a subsidised council ferry. Most ferry routes in the west of Scotland are already heavily subsidised by the Scottish Government anyway so why pull the the plug on Jura, doesn’t this island need a “lifeline ferryservice”? I think it’s a shame that a government, regional or national, takes away money from Jura for the passenger ferry and gives it back to the Western Isles in the form of Road Equivalent Tariff (RET). This way they benefit local businesses and accommodation providers in the western Isles over the backs of businesses in Argyll and in this case Jura in particular. I know you can’t really compare the two different schemes but in my opinion this is just not right!

So what about the future? I guess when the necessary funds can be found the service will run again but at this moment I understand it’s very uncertain if and when this will happen. All I can recommend now is to visit the Jura Passenger Ferry website for the latest information, to make a donation and to hope for the best!

The Ileach writes that “In January, Sandy MacTaggart, Argyll & Bute’s Executive Director of Development and Infrastructure Services failed to attend a meeting with representatives of Isle of Jura Development Trust to discuss future financing of the ferry. The meeting had been arranged to suit Mr MacTaggart, cost over four hundred pounds and 60 man-hours for the Jura representatives to attend and the only information imparted was that Argyll & Bute Council had no spare money for the Jura Ferry. “Councillor Robin Currie, (Kintyre & the Islands) has since established that £275,000 exists in a Discretionary Transport Fund, but, as of mid-March, no directive on how that money can be accessed has been issued by Argyll & Bute Council.”

It’s needless to say that this is a huge blow for the already fragile economy of the Isle of Jura. It’s also no surprise to hear that the ferry ran with a loss, it was after all a pilot. There was however a good chance that this ferry service would have become profitable in the long run. And if we talk about losses, most of the current ferry services operated by Calmac are running with a loss as well and need money from the government, why make an exception for Jura? Islands like Lismore and Gigha do have their own (car) ferry service. You can argue that passengers for Jura can use the Islay ferry but you can’t really call that a serious alternative. Travel times to and from Jura are much longer and day trips to Jura from the mainland are not possible. For now we can only hope that a solution will be found, especially in the current economic climate.

If you would like to help support the service you can participate in a survey or make a donation on www.jurapassengerferry.com

Councillor Duncan MacIntyre, Argyll and Bute Council’s spokesperson for transport and infrastructure, hopes the assessment will show the service can continue. He explains;
“The passenger service has been very popular with both islanders and visitors as it provides a rapid and direct alternative to the services from Kennacraig. However the service can only carry on if it is financially viable. “The council’s budget is under enormous pressure and we have to consider carefully where funds are spent in the future. While no-one wants to see the service disappear we can’t afford to support private enterprises which are not financially successful. I urge everyone travelling to Jura to consider using this ferry – it will only survive if more people pay to use it.” Argyll and Bute Council has added an extra £5,000 to the £37,500 it has already given to the service. HIE has today added a further £5,000 with £1,700 coming from the Jura Development Trust.

unless £12,500 can be found soon, the first direct ferry service to the mainland in almost 40 years will have to cease in the middle of next month – six weeks before the end of a three-year pilot. If that happens nobody knows whether the ferry, which runs from the beginning of April to the end of September, will ever start again. The fast passenger route was launched by a community company in 2008 with grant aid from Argyll and Bute Council.

Deborah Bryce, community plan co-ordinator with the Jura Development Trust, said the direct ferry was vitally important to the island. “It has carried over 6000 passengers since it began in 2008 and generated around £30,000 per annum to the local community supporting and helping to sustain local businesses,” she said. “If we lost the ferry we would not be going back to where we started, but further back. Since the ferry began we have a new award-winning restaurant, The Antlers, a privately owned hotel and more visitor accommodation. The community have now lost their sense of isolation and look forward to what and who the ferry brings.” She said the trust would be contacting the council to ask for help funding the shortfall so the service can finish its trial. “We now have accurate figures that indicate the ferry needs 55 to 60% subsidy, which I understand is less than the average subsidy given to most transport services in Argyll, but would certainly make it viable,” she added.

Direct access to Jura has been a problem ever since 1972, the last time a MacBrayne’s ferry provided a service to the mainland. For decades there was debate over a ferry crossing between Jura and Argyll that Islay drovers used to get cattle to market 200 years ago. Many feared it would turn Jura into a busy thoroughfare for its more populous neighbour. Perhaps the Scottish Ferry Review can come up with answer to this urgent problem. Looking at the population of the island one might come to the conclusion that they should have their own Calmac ferry, just like smaller islands such as Gigha, Rum, Lismore etc. In the meanwhile the Argyll and Bute council are doing everything they can to obtain the necessary funds to let the ferry run until the end of the summer season but it is by no means sure that they will succeed. Fingers crossed!

Clive Loveless: The other week I was at the London Print Fair at the Royal Academy and walking down the aisle of stands I suddenly see an image which immediately connected. It was an etching by a Jason Hicklin of “The Paps of Jura”, 2008. The image struck me strongly with its brooding quality that I bought it on the spot and, now on the wall of my London flat, it resonates with vibrations and memories of the past. So to explain….

Maybe around 1963 my parents, English and Welsh, not Scots were employed by the Riley-Smith Estate to manage the Craighouse Inn and restaurant. I remember my first trip up there, pre-Christmas 1963 on the MacBrayne’s ferry from West Loch Tarbert, arriving at the quay in Small Isles Bay, in the dark. I fell in love with the island.. its wildness and warmth… right there and then.

I was about 20 and soon meeting the locals, drinking the whisky (the old distillery was just about to re-open again) and joining in the ceilidhs. Then, challenged by another young local man, whose name I think was John James Mackay (?), I climbed with him all three Paps in one day! And what a day it was… adders in the heather… eagles soaring above.. the incredible views.. what a day to share with another young fellow.. a stranger.. but not really!

I truly fell in love with the place, the atmosphere, the light and even took some girl friends up there to share my enthusiasm of the island including the late Wendy Richard of “East Enders” fame who immediately became a star with the locals… if not notorious for fighting off Greater Black Backed Gulls with an oar as they dived upon our little rowing boat and barking Beagle hound on a sunny day in Small Isles Bay.

Another strong memory was a visit by Land Rover and final foot trek to visit Barnhill, the home of my literary hero, George Orwell or “Mr. Blair” to the locals. How extraordinary to set foot in the house where “1984” was written and then feel the experience of the Corryvreckan whirlpool thrashing a few paces away. I’d never seen anything like it!

I can’t believe I last visited after my parents, Tony and Joan, had left the Inn due to the sea strikes of the late ‘60’s.. finally taking my then wife to be, Jane, there in 1970. Maybe the memories are so clear and strong that I don’t want to crack, even shatter, them from so long ago by visiting again…..it all seems so close and recent as I look at my “Paps of Jura” etching on the wall…

For more information on the artist Jason Hicklin visit his website at www.jasonhicklin.com

Here are this years winners:
Best Achievement for Argyll: Eilidh Steel, with fellow musician Joy Dunlop a close second.
Best Tourism Initiative: Jura Passenger Ferry, with Fiddle Folk / Lochgoilhead Fiddle Workshop a close second.
Best Environmental Initiative: Islay Energy Trust – way out in front from a early stage, with Seil Community Garden Project in second.
Best Community Initiative: Lochgoilhead Fiddle Workshop, with the Finlaggan Centre development on Islay a close second.
Best Homecoming Event, Joint winners: The Columba Ceilidh Trail and the Islay Festival in a thrilling last hours dead heat and with Inveraray’s Spirit of the West Festival in second.
Best Major Event: Royal National Mod, a standout winner with the Mull of Kintyre Half Marathon and 10k Run in second.
Best Community Event: Mull of Kintyre Half Marathom and 10k Run, with the Meur Chruachain pre-Mod Ceilidh a close second.
Best Arts Programme: Fiddle Folk / Lochgoilhead Workshop, a runaway winner with the Meur Chruachain Summer & Winter Ceilidhs in second.
Best Activity Website: Islay Wilderness Guide, ahead of Islay Shipping Blog in close pursuit.
Best Wildlife Website: Mull Eagle Watch, a long way ahead, with Islay Birds a good second.
Best Community Website: The Carradale Goat, with a very close dead heat for second between Arrochar and Tarbet and the Kintyre Forum.
Best Local Newspaper: The Oban Times, a flyaway winner with the Ileach a good second.

Check out the ForArgyll website for the full overview

What can you do to support the Jura Passenger Ferry? Visit the ForArgyll website and go to the page forargyll.com/forargyll-votes-2009/. Here you can submit one vote per category. The Jura Passenger Ferry is the only Jura related website. Another Jura related candidate is the Ileach, Islay and Jura Newspaper, and there are several participants from Islay. Enough for everyone I should say so please go to the ForArgyll website and vote. Thanks very much.

The article wasn’t just positive but it contained a lot of scepticism too. Why, you might wonder? Let me quote a paragraph: “The passenger ferry, which runs from Craighouse to Tayvallich, is strangely enough not getting enough passengers at the moment. This has something to do with the fact that a lot of people aren’t aware that there is a ferry serving Jura from the mainland Scotland. And perhaps it has something to do with the fares as well, after all a return trip for an adult is £35 which is almost twice the price for a return ticket on the Kennacraig to Islay ferry, which is £17.60.” Now I’m not in a position to say I told you so but in my humble opinion these fares are way too high and they are most likely the cause for people to NOT take the ferry to Jura and go somewhere else instead. It doesn’t come as a surprise that the Oban Times has an article about the ferry service in which they mention that the ferry service is under threat. A quote from the Oban Times article:

A Lack of passengers is threatening the award-winning passenger ferry service between Jura and Tayvallich. Argyll and Bute Council agreed to subsidise a three-year pilot scheme but the subsidy alone may not be enough to keep the service going, as it comes to the end of its second season. And ferry operator Jura Development Trust is already trying to find an alternative means of funding, should council funding cease when the pilot scheme ends. Dick Mayes, former chairman of Initiative at the Edge, the group that established the ferry service, says the future of the service is uncertain.

He added: ‘The number of passengers using the ferry is not as high as we expected it to be, so the amount of money coming in is not enough to run a service six days per week, from Easter to the end of September. ‘After next year we really don’t know where the money is going to come from so we will need to assess that with the council and other organisations.’

Maybe they should try to get funding directly from the government and get them to cover for the losses, that’s what the government is doing already for many years with Calmac so why not do the same with this very much needed ferry service.