Sir,
The majority of residents of Argyll and Bute who will lose services and facilities as the council makes cuts to balance its budget need to hear from the 192 residents of Lismore what justification can be provided for having two ferries serving the island, especially given that the island draws only modest amounts of tourism and this can easily be provided for by the CalMac service from Oban to Achnacroish (Council ferries ‘unsustainable’ without extra £500,000 a year’, The Oban Times, December 14).
Without an adequate justification, the council-funded passenger ferry from Port Appin looks like ‘nice-tohave’ rather than ‘need-to-have’.