Michael Russell MSP.
MSP Michael Russell has stepped into the row over who should control Oban Bay following meetings with, and representations from, many Oban residents and a number of local organisations regarding the proposal from CMAL and CalMac for a new, and restrictive, regulating order for the bay. He has now written to the chief executives of CMAL and CalMac calling for a pause in any action until there is an independent assessment of what, if any, new actions are required to control the waters and access to the piers, and who should be responsible for such control. Last month, a public meeting to discuss a bid by CMAL to manage all of Oban Bay heard it should not be run by a single user and should instead become a trust port. Duncan Martin, custodian of Oban’s town moorings, said: ‘It is Oban’s harbour. It is not CMAL’s harbour. It must never be CMAL’s harbour.
‘Oban would be unique in having its harbour run by one of its users. It must be run for all the users, not just CMAL.’