FERRY services between Ardrossan and Arran are facing major disruption after a mechanical breakdown and a warning of severe weather.

CalMac Ferries has announced that three return crossings on the Ardrossan-Brodick route will not operate on Monday, September 25.

The company said the cancellations were “due to a technical issue with MV Alfred’s port side gearbox which requires further investigation”.

As a result of the breakdown the following sailings, due to be operated by MV Alfred, will not run on Monday.

Depart Ardrossan: 0800, 1100, 1400 (originally 1625)

Depart Brodick: 0930, 1230, 1530 (originally 1755)

 

 

In addition, the ferry operator announced on Sunday night that Monday’s 0700 sailing from Ardrossan would be cancelled after the route’s main ferry, MV Caledonian Isles, berthed in Brodick overnight due to forecast strong winds.

For the same reason, CalMac says the 0945 sailing from Ardrossan on Monday, along with the 0820 and 1105 departures from Brodick, are also “liable to disruption or cancellation at short notice”.

In a further update issued at 11.18am on Monday the company announced one additional round trip on the route on Monday to help clear the backlog of traffic caused by MV Alfred's cancelled sailings.

MV Isle of Arran, currently on its way to the Clyde for annual overhaul, will operate one return trip on Monday afternoon, leaving Brodick at 3.40pm and departing Ardrossan at 5.15pm. 

A spokesperson said: "Capacity is limited and these sailings will operate as 'first come first served' for displaced traffic from previous cancellations."

No catering facilities will be provided on the two additional sailings.

Monday was due to be the last day of service on the Ardrossan-Brodick route for MV Alfred, the catamaran chartered from Orkney firm Pentland Ferries to provide extra capacity following the breakdown of CalMac’s 38-year-old MV Hebridean Isles earlier in the year.

 

 

With traffic levels falling as summer turns to autumn, from Tuesday onwards the Ardrossan-Brodick timetable will be reduced to five return sailings a day (six on Fridays, four on Sundays), with the service due to be operated by MV Caledonian Isles alone.

Monday was also originally scheduled to be the last day of the summer-only Ardrossan-Campbeltown ferry – although that service hasn’t operated at all this year due to the breakdown that has kept MV Hebridean Isles out of service since February.