Lismore STAG

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

2. Contents • Results from Consultation Exercise • Lismore • Appin / Port Appin • Study ‘Transport Planning’ Objectives • Initial Option Generation • Next Steps

3. Survey Responses • A very good response….. • 113 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

4. Lismore Questionnaire

5. 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?

6. 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?

7. Views of Existing Ferry Services

8. Q3a Ferry timetables • 14% worse than adequate – Port Appin • 29%worse than adequate – Oban • 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

9. Q3b Reliability and punctuality • 13% worse than adequate – Port Appin • 3%worse than adequate – Oban • 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

10. Q3c Cost of fare • 9% worse than adequate – Port Appin • 69%worse than adequate – Oban (car) • 25% worse than adequate – Oban (pass) • 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

11. Q3d Quality of service - onboard • 34% worse than adequate – Port Appin • 60%worse than adequate – Oban • 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

12. Q3e Quality of service – at terminal • 71% worse than adequate – Port Appin • 39%worse than adequate – Oban • 71% - terminal facilities for Port Appin service poor • 39% - terminal facilities for Oban service poor • Parking at Port Appin • Parking at Oban

13. Q3f Ease of changing for onward travel • 80% worse than adequate – Port Appin • 24%worse than adequate – Oban • 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

14. Q3g Location of ferry terminals • 12% worse than adequate – Point • 22% worse than adequate – Port Appin • 6% worse than adequate – Achnacroish • 9%worse than adequate – Oban • 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

15. Q3h Ferry capacity • 26% worse than adequate – Port Appin • 35%worse than adequate – Oban • 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

16. Q3i Overall assessment of service • 20% worse than adequate – Port Appin • 30%worse than adequate – Oban • 80% - overall assessment of Port Appin service good or adequate • 70% - overall assessment of Oban service good or adequate

17. Port Appin and Appin consultation

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. Transport Planning Objectives and Initial Options

27. 2001 Census – Lismore key facts

28. 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.

29. 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.

30. Initial Options Matrix on current routes *ROPAX = Roll-on-roll-off car & passenger ferry *PAX = Passenger only ferry

31. 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)

32. The Next Steps…… • STAG Part 1 Analysis of Options (8th 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