Lismore STAG Public Consultation and Options - Summary Scott Leitham and Paul McCartney | 18 December 2008

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Contents Results from Consultation Exercise Lismore Appin / Port Appin Study ‘Transport Planning’ Objectives Initial Option Generation Next Steps

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Survey Responses A very good response… Lismore Consultation Packs posted to households and businesses on Lismore: 120 questionnaires and 67 travel diaries were returned (approx 500 crossings) 60% of all households and businesses on Lismore returned at least one questionnaire 256 consultation questionnaires posted to households and businesses in Port Appin and Appin: 98 questionnaires were returned 38% response rate from Appin and Port Appin

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Lismore Questionnaire

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Q1 Ferry choice 58% of respondents primarily use the Point – Port Appin service 27% of respondents primarily use the Oban – Achnacroish service Which of the two island ferry services do you tend to use?

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Q2 Travel Frequency The majority of respondents make 0-2 return crossings per week Around 10 were very frequent ferry users Roughly how many total return ferry crossings do you make in a typical week?

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Views of Existing Ferry Services

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Q3a Ferry timetables 61% stated Port Appin service is good (better than adequate) 38% stated Oban service is good New Oban timetable seen as a benefit by most Out of hours service and later/earlier crossings - 14% worse than adequate – Port Appin - 29% worse than adequate – Oban

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Q3b Reliability and punctuality 75% stated the punctuality and reliability of the Oban service was good 66% stated the punctuality and reliability of the Port Appin service was good Port Appin ferry regularly breaks down Both services disrupted by bad weather - 13% worse than adequate – Port Appin - 3% worse than adequate – Oban

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Q3c Cost of fare 91% - Port Appin passenger fare adequate or good 75% - Oban passenger fare adequate or good 69% - Oban vehicle fare poor (less than adequate) Out of hours fare too expensive Cost of vehicle fare too high - 9% worse than adequate – Port Appin - 69% worse than adequate – Oban (car) - 25% worse than adequate – Oban (pass)

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Q3d Quality of service - onboard 60% - Onboard facilities on Oban service poor 34% - Onboard facilities on Port Appin service poor No disabled access Cold, uncomfortable Oban crossing Medical emergency access - 34% worse than adequate – Port Appin - 60% worse than adequate – Oban

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Q3e Quality of service – at terminal 71% - terminal facilities for Port Appin service poor 39% - terminal facilities for Oban service poor Parking at Port Appin Parking at Oban - 71% worse than adequate – Port Appin - 39% worse than adequate – Oban

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Q3f Ease of changing for onward travel 80% - public transport availability at Port Appin poor 24% - public transport availability at Oban poor No public transport at Port Appin Good link up with Citylink and rail services - 80% worse than adequate – Port Appin - 24% worse than adequate – Oban

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Q3g Location of ferry terminals 52% / 45% described Point / Port Appin location as good 55% / 46% described Achnacroish / Oban location as good Parking at Port Appin Access road at Port Appin - 12% worse than adequate – Point - 22% worse than adequate – Port Appin - 6% worse than adequate – Achnacroish - 9% worse than adequate – Oban

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Q3h Ferry capacity 74% - ferry capacity on Port Appin service adequate or good 65% - ferry capacity on Oban service adequate or good Vehicle capacity on ferry a problem Cal Mac booking system can cause problems - 26% worse than adequate – Port Appin - 35% worse than adequate – Oban

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Q3i Overall assessment of service 80% - overall assessment of Port Appin service good or adequate 70% - overall assessment of Oban service good or adequate - 20% worse than adequate – Port Appin - 30% worse than adequate – Oban

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Port Appin and Appin consultation

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Q1-3 Use of Ferry 75% of respondents said they used the ferry – but most rarely Most use the ferry for leisure or visiting friends / relatives Much less work related use

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Q4a Parking at Port Appin - car 61% - parking at Port Appin is a major problem Not enough parking spaces Traffic and parking has negative impact on business/tourism

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Q4b Parking at Port Appin – goods and other vehicles 67% - parking of goods vehicles a major problem Block emergency accesses Issues with vehicles turning No provision for turning

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Q4c Port Appin Access road 34% - ferry traffic on access road to Port Appin a major problem Road unsuitable for any increase in traffic Road is narrow, single track road with blind spots, poor quality

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Q4d Quality of services at terminal 28% - quality of services at the pier are a major problem Basic/few facilities at terminal Facilities would have to be improved if vehicle ferry introduced

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Q5 Ferry Service - Benefit or problem? 65% believe the ferry to Lismore is a benefit to the Port Appin residents: Greater interaction between communities Boost to businesses and tourism But, traffic and parking cause serious problems

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Q6 Improved access – a benefit to you? 32% believe improved access would not benefit the people of Port Appin Problems associated with construction and increased traffic and parking issues But a boost to business / tourism and improve interaction between the two communities

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Summary Aspects the where a majority rate the current Lismore services as worse than adequate: Cost of fares for car ferry to Oban Quality of on-board services – Oban-Achnacroish Quality of services at terminals – Point-Port Appin Ease of changing to onward travel (PT) – Point-Port Appin Following this, the worst rated aspects are: Quality of services at terminals – Oban-Achnacroish Ferry Capacity - Oban-Achnacroish Quality of on-board services – Point-Port Appin Timetables - Oban-Achnacroish At Port Appin, the parking and traffic issues come through strongly

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Transport Planning Objectives and Initial Options

Lismore STAG | 18 December Census – Lismore key facts

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Transport Planning Objectives (1) Accessibility and Social Inclusion (Safety): To allow islanders to benefit from improved access from mainland-based service providers (ie services which come to households); To provide continuing access to mainland based retail and other services for those islanders without access to a car; To improve islanders’ access to routine and emergency health services; To improve the quality (and safety) of crossing facilities – making them accessible in all respects to everyone including the mobility impaired ; and To maintain and develop community and economic links between Lismore and Port Appin / Appin.

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Transport Planning Objectives (2) Economy: To provide an affordable and convenient means of regularly taking a car or commercial vehicle to and from the mainland for islanders and those on the mainland; and To tackle parking and traffic issues associated with current ferry services at Port Appin. Environment: To avoid significant new transport related environmental impacts associated with access to Lismore. Integration: To maintain or improve integration between ferry and onward public transport services on the mainland.

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Initial Options Matrix on current routes *ROPAX = Roll-on-roll-off car & passenger ferry *PAX = Passenger only ferry

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 Other Potential Options…… A new route eg: Point / Achnacroish - Loch Creran Achnacroish – Port Appin Achnacroish – other new landfall Single ropax vessel serving both routes Addition of season ‘fast’ commercial passenger service (eg Jura)

Lismore STAG | 18 December 2008 The Next Steps…… STAG Part 1 Analysis of Options (8 th January) Public Meeting to report on those being taken forward – mid January 2009 Part 2 detailed appraisal Final reporting and Public Meeting in March 2009