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Debate over Sunday Service to Lewis Continues

Ferry Online Travel News 19/09/2007

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Residents are divided on whether ferries should come to Lewis on Sunday.

Debate is heating up over the possibility of extending ferry service to Lewis on Sunday. Currently Caledonian MacBrayne operates ferries to the island six days a week, however members of the public are now lining up on either side of the debate. Should Sunday be held sacred and resist increased ferry service, or should the ferries run all week long?

Last year, the neighboring island of Harris started ferry service on Sundays and at least 40 inhabitants of Lewis seem to think they should follow suit. In one week, CalMac, a company owned by the state, received 40 letters and emails urging the extension of the ferry service.

Those who are in favor of the extended service say that traveling on Sunday is the choice of each individual and that additional ferries on Sunday would have positive economic and social benefits for the area. According to the supporters, since the company works seven days a week providing ferry service on Sunday to other locations, the same courtesy should be extended to their island also.

CalMac will be signing a contract to renew their services within the next week or so. A spokesman for the company said that the issue of Sunday service was on the agenda at an upcoming board meeting. "It is for the board to take a view at that point as to how to progress the matter," he said.

One of the opponents of the Sunday ferry service is the vice-chairman of the Lord's Day Observance Society in Lewis, Rev Andrew Coghill. He said: "We will oppose , but the evidence from the past would indicate that CalMac is not sympathetic to the Christian point of view.

"The community is not seeking this, it is being artificially whipped up. But there are those on the island desperate to break down the last vestiges of Christian cultural heritage we have here."

In March, a group of independent consultants looked into the matter and recommended seven-day ferry service between Stornoway and Ullapool in the summer. They found, however, that there were strong cultural reasons not to implement seven day service to Lewis.

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