More than 10,000 ferries cancelled due to technical faults

Scottish Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Jamie Greene MSP has today said the SNP are “causing chaos” for islanders after new research by his party found that more than 10,000 ferries have been cancelled due to technical faults since 2023.

A Scottish Liberal Democrat freedom of information request found that between 1 January 2023 and 30 April 2025:

• A total of 10,809 sailings were cancelled due to technical faults with ferries.
• Ferries were cancelled (performed below schedule) on 548 days out of 851.

Mr Greene said:

“These figures reveal just how much chaos the SNP are causing island communities.

“Our island communities are being treated as second class citizens, lacking the basic right to access the same public services as mainland Scots.

“The SNP’s failure to deliver new lifeline ferries has anchored islanders with an ageing fleet that is in constant need of repair, at constant risk of cancellation and costing millions in repair bills.

“My constituents on the west coast are suffering the depressing reality of losing business, missing events and hospital appointments and, frankly, they have lost faith in the Scottish Government’s ability to fix those problems.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats would get the basics right and stand up for island communities. That starts by making sure islanders have access to the ferries they need and rebuilding our country’s rural and island economic reputation, which has been sorely undermined by the SNP.”