Scottish Government owned ferry operator, Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) is considering providing a permanent public contract to run its own ageing fleet to west coast islands. 

An uncontested direct award, The Herald writes, to the state-owned operator CalMac by Ministers’ is to be the preferred option for the next contract over the future of islands’ lifeline ferry services.

CalMac has an extensive network of routes and their fleet is the largest domestically operating within UK waters.

Currently, CalMac’s eight year contract, worth £975m covers serving the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract which is to expire in less than a year, September 2024.

It has now emerged that ministers in Holywood, the Scottish parliament in Edinburgh, have a permanent contract on the agenda, this would however close the door on opening routes up to private operators.

So how did the readers’ of The Herald respond to their online poll (which is now closed) with the question:

Should Caledonian MacBrayne be given a permanent contract? Yes OR No

For further coverage and to find out the result, click this 'link' to the newspaper.