Firms go head to head in battle for ferry routes

The contest for the first of Caledonian MacBrayne's west coast ferry routes started in earnest yesterday with two firms invited to bid against the operator for the Gourock-Dunoon commuter link.

Western Ferries, which already competes on the route, V.Ships and CalMac will have until 30 October to lodge full bids to operate the service from next spring. The winner is due to be appointed this autumn. The Scottish Executive is expected to issue tenders for the rest of the CalMac network - for which just V.Ships is the sole remaining challenger - by the end of the month.

The moves have been forced on the Executive by the European Commission.

The Gourock-Dunoon link is being treated separately because it will not be subsidised, as Western competes with CalMac on the route.

Restrictions on the service, which have seen CalMac limited to one sailing an hour since the 1980s to enable Western to compete, will be removed.

Stromness - Scrabster

1 x Foot Passenger(s) Return

Travelling on:

07/07/2012 - 14/07/2012

£37

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St Margarets Hope - Gills Bay

Car + 2 Return

Travelling on:

02/06/2012 - 16/06/2012

£122

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St Margarets Hope - Gills Bay

Car + 4 Return

Travelling on:

02/06/2012 - 17/06/2012

£178

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* Prices are "from prices" and are indicative only

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