Cal Mac to increase prices for motorhomes by 50-70%

[barryd]

Looks like the days of the RET (Road Equivalent Tariff) discount for motorhomes is ending next year.

CalMac motorhome drivers face 70 per cent ferry fare hike as loophole closed

FARES for motorhomes are set to soar on CalMac ferries after demands from angry locals to end the loophole that saw the vehicles get heavily…

www.heraldscotland.com

This might not be popular but could it possibly mean that things may improve for us? A lot of islands have started putting in restrictions. Its one reason we gave Mull a swerve this summer as they pretty much banned wilding. I guess something had to give.

 

[Costers]

Their loss in the long run especially if they think reductions in delivery costs will be passed on to the consumer. Barra coop will still only get a Wednesday delivery.

 

[Fisherman]

Honestly I have never seen more than four motorhomes on a crossing to Arran, sometimes as on our last trip we are alone. The ferry’s take up to 88 cars and commercial vehicles motorhomes making around 3-4% of the total in summer, and less in winter. Let’s see what unfolds but I fail to see how charging motorhomes more will reduce shop prices.
Bottom line this won’t stop us travelling to the islands.
I don’t think increasing the ferry fare to Arran by £15-20 return will prevent many from travelling, so if this move is to help lower numbers I doubt if this will achieve that end.

 

[Minisorella]

“In response to community feedback, the fares for motorhomes are being increased to begin to address the disparity with fares for commercial vehicles of equivalent length.”

Bit of compromise required I think. A key point here is the word 'commercial' and I don't see why there shouldn't be disparity. We're mostly just tourists, just like the ones who drive cars, who don't have a company behind us to pay the ferry bills and then pass the cost down the line to their customers. A size-based set of prices for private vehicles and another for commericial vehicles would be a fairer system rather than just size alone.

 

[Harryw]

Agree I don’t understand what’s difficult in setting private and commercial tariffs.
I’m presuming this is all calmac crossings. If islanders want more than perhaps a book of say 12 discount vouchers be given to them to avoid paying the normal private rate us occasional travellers will incur.

 

[Fisherman]

Many islanders own motorhomes, I wonder how they feel about those amongst them who wish them to pay more.
Bottom line currently the Arran return fare for a 6m van is £49, £33 of which is for the van, the rest for driver and passenger. Even a 70% rise only amounts to £21, hardly enough to deter most from crossing. In 2004 I paid £136 return for my car.
I fail to see what is being achieved here.
Also I wonder how the caravan site owners will react to this.
But if you want to read a totally biased report, quoting that we are saving £25 million a year, try this. The total budget for RTE is £25million.

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[mikeg40]

it has become an issue in peak season and the subsidies are in place for the benefit of islanders. maybe some more off peak deals for those of us that like to travel outwith midge season

 

[Fisherman]

it has become an issue in peak season and the subsidies are in place for the benefit of islanders. maybe some more off peak deals for those of us that like to travel outwith midge season

Sorry but I have to take issue with your post.
First the subsides are in place for everyone who lives and travels to the islands. But the lions share of the £25million costs involved are not met by the 90,000 islanders, but by Scot’s who live on the mainland. But as it’s likely that those living on the islands will use the service more often, it’s the islanders who benefit most from the subsidies.
As I have stated previously we are a tiny minority of those who travel to the islands greatly outnumbered by cars. Anecdotally I would reckon we make up around 3-4% of all the vehicles carried by the ferries. So if there are issues at peak times controlling our numbers will make little difference.
All we heard from the islanders in the past was how unfair the costs were before RTE was introduced, perhaps those who have seen fit to propose that we alone should pay more should remember how much they are saving, and how much they have benefitted rather than calling for us to pay more than any other visitors to their islands.

 

[mikeg40]

yes, we are a minority but also there is a minority of us who have abused island hospitality and this more than anything else leads to the feedback that caused it. we are an easily targeted group, visible and easy to identify with no lobby power so until we can coordinate our grievances we will continue to be targeted. my post was meant to be light hearted but it abviously touched a nerve. sorry. I have lived and worked on the islands before RTE and the costs of ferry vehicle transport were a very serious consideration to travelling to the mainland. I have enjoyed visiting friends more often over last few years but personally I will adapt to the new rules. We were lucky enough to enjoy the cheaper rates for some time but as I understand it under 6m is still the same price. unfortunately that means I and many others will have to pay the higher rate. The boom in campervans and staycations has resulted in many issues and I have found many of my favourite places are no longer as welcoming or even even available anymore. car camping and the general lack of facilities has left many areas difficult for motorhome owners and the differing approaches from councils has left me confused and a little disillusioned. the successes of camPra has proved we can make changes but with all the clubs and groups having differing approaches and aims we still have no real power or influence. as far as the source of the funding for RTE is concerned, the problems of who pays is always contentious and can be applied to everything from bus passes to rubbish collections.

 

[Fisherman]

yes, we are a minority but also there is a minority of us who have abused island hospitality and this more than anything else leads to the feedback that caused it. we are an easily targeted group, visible and easy to identify with no lobby power so until we can coordinate our grievances we will continue to be targeted. my post was meant to be light hearted but it abviously touched a nerve. sorry. I have lived and worked on the islands before RTE and the costs of ferry vehicle transport were a very serious consideration to travelling to the mainland. I have enjoyed visiting friends more often over last few years but personally I will adapt to the new rules. We were lucky enough to enjoy the cheaper rates for some time but as I understand it under 6m is still the same price. unfortunately that means I and many others will have to pay the higher rate. The boom in campervans and staycations has resulted in many issues and I have found many of my favourite places are no longer as welcoming or even even available anymore. car camping and the general lack of facilities has left many areas difficult for motorhome owners and the differing approaches from councils has left me confused and a little disillusioned. the successes of camPra has proved we can make changes but with all the clubs and groups having differing approaches and aims we still have no real power or influence. as far as the source of the funding for RTE is concerned, the problems of who pays is always contentious and can be applied to everything from bus passes to rubbish collections.

No nerve was touched, I welcome debate.
I just reckon that we are being treated terribly here.

 

[mikeg40]

no worries, but as I said I would welcome out of season discounts as an alternative and until we have a viable lobby group with some influence we will always be easy targets

 

[Fisherman]

no worries, but as I said I would welcome out of season discounts as an alternative and until we have a viable lobby group with some influence we will always be easy targets

Mike as I posted earlier, 18 years ago I paid £136 for my car return to Arran. This year I paid £49 return for my 6m Motorhome. I reckon it’s got to be one of the best deals out there. I don’t see much room for discounts.

 

[alcam]

Keep intending to do an island trip so pleased to see us little chaps [under 6m] are still subsidised . Don't know facts and figures re locals not getting on ferries because of campervans ? Would assume tourist cars take up space too ?
Surely possible to prioritise locals and maybe offer some kind of off peak fares for us ? To be fair it is easier for us to be flexible with our travelling times than people going to work etc

 

[barryd]

Perhaps the fairest thing to do would be to give islanders the REF cheap tariff and everyone else no matter what you are driving the original none funded tariff.

 

[colinm]

I must admit to not knowing the RET didn't apply to commercial vehicles, and it does seem slightly odd that a subsidy designed to keep down costs for those living on islands shouldn't apply, that aside, this is a tax payer funded subsidy, for it to be used to try and keep out certain classes of private vehicle seems a bit rich to me.
We haven't been up to the islands for several years, last time was to Col and Tiree, certainly wasn't 'full' of motorhomes, IIRC there was only one other motorhome on either of the ferries we used, but the week we came back there where no spaces outbound all had been booked weeks in advance by (mainly) car drivers going to the music festival.

 

[Fisherman]

I must admit to not knowing the RET didn't apply to commercial vehicles, and it does seem slightly odd that a subsidy designed to keep down costs for those living on islands shouldn't apply, that aside, this is a tax payer funded subsidy, for it to be used to try and keep out certain classes of private vehicle seems a bit rich to me.
We haven't been up to the islands for several years, last time was to Col and Tiree, certainly wasn't 'full' of motorhomes, IIRC there was only one other motorhome on either of the ferries we used, but the week we came back there where no spaces outbound all had been booked weeks in advance by (mainly) car drivers going to the music festival.

Thanks Colin, yes the ferries are busy at high season peak times, but not with motorhomes.

 

[Fisherman]

Perhaps the fairest thing to do would be to give islanders the REF cheap tariff and everyone else no matter what you are driving the original none funded tariff.

Barry that would defeat the whole purpose of RTE. RTE is supposed to encourage people to visit the islands and for the visitors to spend money within the local economy. When RTE was first applied to Arran all the hotels and b&b’s highlighted the reduced costs of coming to the island with your car. Also the islands are already heavily subsidised by the mainland. What you suggest would mean that we would pay for cheap fares for islanders whilst we would pay full fare. I reckon that without RTE a car, driver, and passenger without RTE to Arran would be around £190 return today. That would have a severe affect on visitor numbers, and their local economies.

 

[Fisherman]

I just did a price check on the CalMac website for a 6m van and a 6-6.5m van to Arran. It went from £33.50 to £49.50 on current prices But although when booking you are given a long list of sizes it seems that motorhomes up to 8m are the same price. Possibly they could have introduced a more varied price list based on length. It seems wrong that someone with say a 6.3 van conversion should pay the same as someone with an 8m Motorhome. The prices quoted above are only for the vehicle, and don’t include driver and passenger(s).

 

[barryd]

Barry that would defeat the whole purpose of RTE. RTE is supposed to encourage people to visit the islands and for the visitors to spend money within the local economy. When RTE was first applied to Arran all the hotels and b&b’s highlighted the reduced costs of coming to the island with your car. Also the islands are already heavily subsidised by the mainland. What you suggest would mean that we would pay for cheap fares for islanders whilst we would pay full fare. I reckon that without RTE a car, driver, and passenger without RTE to Arran would be around £190 return today. That would have a severe affect on visitor numbers, and their local economies.

Was that the whole purpose of it though? Was it not also put in place to help residents who presumably need to use the ferries on a regular basis. Both perhaps I dont know.

One things for sure, I dont think it would make much difference to Arran and probably other islands and certainly not in the current climate. There is only so much accommodation on the island and when we were there in the height of summer it was clear everywhere was full, even the campsites, it was also pretty clear that these were well healed wealthy visitors in the main. Its not a cheap place to go, neither are all the other islands. I doubt a small rise in ferry fares will put these people off going. However I am confused by the prices. I cant remember what we paid. About £35 each way or something so a 50-70% price hike would not be that much more and nowhere near the £190 you quote but I do remember before this tariff was introduced we used to pay way more. About £160 return I think.

I also know a lot of locals were furious about the lack of availability on the ferries this summer and for the first time ever we had trouble getting a return ticket and had to book about a week in advance. There were other issues though also with Covid and mechanical issues all summer but without doubt in the current climate at least, I dont think tourism will suffer no matter what they charge.

 

[Fisherman]

Was that the whole purpose of it though? Was it not also put in place to help residents who presumably need to use the ferries on a regular basis. Both perhaps I dont know.

One things for sure, I dont think it would make much difference to Arran and probably other islands and certainly not in the current climate. There is only so much accommodation on the island and when we were there in the height of summer it was clear everywhere was full, even the campsites, it was also pretty clear that these were well healed wealthy visitors in the main. Its not a cheap place to go, neither are all the other islands. I doubt a small rise in ferry fares will put these people off going. However I am confused by the prices. I cant remember what we paid. About £35 each way or something so a 50-70% price hike would not be that much more and nowhere near the £190 you quote but I do remember before this tariff was introduced we used to pay way more. About £160 return I think.

I also know a lot of locals were furious about the lack of availability on the ferries this summer and for the first time ever we had trouble getting a return ticket and had to book about a week in advance. There were other issues though also with Covid and mechanical issues all summer but without doubt in the current climate at least, I dont think tourism will suffer no matter what they charge.

First Barry no. The purpose of RTE was manifold. Yes it was partially to help locals travel cheaper to the mainland, and also to encourage more to live on the islands. And for most islanders the cheaper fares are what they see as the main benefit for themselves. But those who run businesses on the islands and offer much needed employment see things much differently. From their perspective and the Scottish governments perspective helping local businesses by attracting more visitors helps greatly the local economy. This in turn helps to re populate much under populated islands. This in turn further improves both the sustainability and the long term viability of our islands that are a burden on the Scottish economy. Some locals fail to grasp fully the full implications of increasing the costs of travelling to their island.
On your travel cost to Arran, currently a six metre van with driver and passenger is £49.50 return, without RTE it would be about £180-190, a massive price increase, that would do much damage to their economy. Also it’s well healed people that for obvious reasons that they want to attract. They will spend more, and in some cases will even move to the islands to live.
Also as you rightly state a small increase in price won’t put people off travelling, so then what is the point in doing so Barry. But your suggestion to remove the RTE completely would massively increase prices, this would restrict travel, and would greatly damage their local economies.