The SNP Authorities has been accused of "letting island communities endure" as new figures reveal the extent of the cancellations hitting lifeline ferry companies.
A complete of seven,431 sailings had been cancelled by Caledonian MacBrayne from January to July this yr.
CalMac insisted the overwhelming majority of cancellations had been attributable to dangerous climate.
SNP ministers have confronted extreme criticism over the botched building of the MV Glen Sannox and the as-yet-unnamed Hull 802 that are due in service subsequent years 5 years delayed.
The Isle of Arran route from Ardrossan to Brodick, which can be serviced by the Glen Sannox vessel, had already skilled 990 cancelled or late sailings within the yr as much as July 31 2022.
And there have been 302 cancelled or delayed crusing on the Uig path to Tarbert or Lochmaddy, which can be coated by Hull 802.
CalMac have stated the challenges to conducting upkeep and repairs are attributable to world provide points.
It comes after figures revealed the variety of technical faults with CalMac fleets has steadily elevated since 2017.
Based on freedom of data figures, there have been a report 163 faults recorded in 2021, in comparison with 90 in 2017, costing roughly £28 million to repair.
And there have been 141 faults recorded as of the top of July 2022, figures present.
It comes as issues had been raised earlier this month that island harbours can be unable to absorb and function the 2 delayed vessels.
Willie Rennie, economic system spokesman for the Lib Dems, accused SNP minister of "mismanagement".
He stated companies and households are struggling to entry very important sources together with medical care.
Rennie stated: “The SNP are letting our island communities endure, as they proceed to mismanage Scotland’s ferry community. These figures are but extra proof of that.
“Companies can’t get the provides they want and households are struggling to get to essential medical appointments.
“Over the summer time, Scottish Liberal Democrats known as for Parliament to be recalled, in order that ministers might clarify why years of underinvestment had been allowed to guide us right here. They didn’t pay attention.
“We'd like a complete public inquiry into the Authorities’s dealing with of the Ferguson shipyard in order that islanders can lastly get the reply they deserve about why these lifeline ferries have been topic to horrendous delays.
“The Scottish Authorities have to spend money on island ferries and put collectively a long-term plan for changing boats which have been in use for many years.”
Graham Simpson, Tory transport spokesperson, stated: “The SNP Authorities has failed to acquire desperately-needed alternative ferries and refused to commit satisfactory long-term funding for Scotland’s ferry provision.
“Consequently, breakdowns and delays have sky-rocketed.”
He added: “The SNP maintain hoping that they will bury their heads within the sand, and await this scandal to blow over – all of the whereas island residents endure the results.”
Robbie Drummond, managing director of CalMac, stated: "We take our duty to offer a dependable lifeline ferry service very critically and work onerous to keep away from any disruption.
"Nonetheless, the overwhelming majority of cancellations or disruption is because of poor climate, which is out with our management.
"The beginning of 2022 noticed unprecedented and extreme climate circumstances, together with three named storms, which meant that sailings had been affected over a number of weeks.
"Choices to cancel companies are solely taken as a final resort and to safeguard the well-being and security of these on board.
"Given the implications for security and the laws in place to make sure security at sea, climate disruption just isn't a matter on which we're in a position to negotiate or seek the advice of.
"We're working onerous to stop unscheduled upkeep attributable to technical points, and we now have invested report sums in our fleet to take care of vessel resilience and repair to be able to present a high-quality service. This funding elevated by round 70% over 5 years from £20.5m in 2017 to £34.1m in 2021."
A spokesman for Transport Scotland stated: “The overwhelming majority of CalMac ferries run on time and to schedule however breakdowns and delays usually are not acceptable. That’s why we’ve invested to offer extra capability on the Clyde and Hebrides routes. We're additionally persevering with to work on procuring extra vessels, whereas the 4 new ferries we now have ordered are being constructed.
"The Scottish Authorities has supplied over £2bn of help to our ferry networks since 2007 - there are extra vessels and extra routes working than ever earlier than.
"Fairly evidently the beginning of 2022 coincided with a few of the worst climate impacts on report and COVID-related absences compounded service supply. In response, Ministers have permitted extra finance to help climate monitoring gear, as introduced within the chamber earlier this month."
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