Contract awarded for long-awaited ferry walkway replacement

A contract has been awarded for a long-awaited new gangway for ferry passengers in Stornoway.

The new structure could open in summer next year, providing step-free access to the MV Loch Seaforth on the Stornoway-Ullapool route.

The previous walkway was removed earlier this year after a "catastrophic failure" in December 2023, leaving passengers to walk off from the car deck.

Local contractors Lewis Builders Ltd are to take on the work.

For the past three years, passengers have had to board and disembark using the car deck of the ferry.

While this is not uncommon for some ferries in the CalMac network, access over the vehicle ramp is much slower and less accessible for passengers.

At the other side of the crossing passengers can use an enclosed walkway in Ullapool.

The project has taken some time to reach this point.

Stornoway Port initially looked at the possibility of repairing the structure, which had been built with Scottish government funding.

However, it was found to be "beyond economic repair".

Chief executive of Stornoway Port, Alex Macleod, said the solution had "taken longer than any of us would have liked".

A bespoke design was required due to the height of the MV Loch Seaforth, with a passenger access door which is considerably higher than on other vessels.

The contract for the project is worth £1.9m in addition to further investment from the port to reach the design and commissioning stage.