Residents of Jura are campaigning to restore a late evening ferry service that was withdrawn by Argyll and Bute Council in July without prior consultation. According to BBC News, the council removed the 21:30 sailing between Port Askaig on Islay and Feolin on Jura, leaving the final departure at 18:30. The five-minute crossing is vital for children attending after-school clubs on Islay and residents requiring access to mainland medical appointments and services.
The island, home to approximately 260 people, has seen strong community opposition to the change. According to The Scotsman, on 25 October Jura Community Council appealed to the Scottish Government to intervene, citing uncertainty for the island's residents. A petition seeking restoration of the late ferry had gathered more than 1,100 signatures by that date.
Why was the service withdrawn?
Argyll and Bute Council said the late sailing had become difficult to operate safely and legally alongside the increasingly popular early sailing, amid challenges recruiting qualified crew. The council acknowledged that changing the timetable without first engaging local representatives was unacceptable and apologised for the lack of consultation, according to a statement by its head of roads and infrastructure, Andy Summers. The community council said residents learned of the withdrawal from ferry crew rather than through formal notification, despite an agreement that the council would consult before making timetable changes.
What do islanders say about the impact?
Scott Muir, chairman of Jura Community Council, said islanders had been working "tirelessly" to have the late night sailing restored.
The half nine has been run up until July this year and then, without any formal warning from the council, they cut the sailing. We've been fighting for the last five months to get that reinstated.He noted that 84 percent of the community had expressed dissatisfaction or extreme dissatisfaction with the removal of the 21:30 service.
Muir highlighted the particular impact on vulnerable residents.
Anybody who is vulnerable in the community use that late sailing to connect with medical appointments on the mainland. Now it's been withdrawn they are not able to make those appointments in Glasgow.Council figures for January–July 2026 reveal the disparity in usage: the 06:15 sailing carried 81 passengers over 22 trips, while the 21:30 sailing carried 468 passengers over 96 trips, according to The Scotsman.
Pi Davidson, who runs self-catering holiday accommodation at Bothan Jura Retreat, described the business impact of the service withdrawal.
I have had two guests who have tried to get here on the late CalMac ferry and then could not get over, so I refunded them. That obviously has a knock-on impact to other business on the island.
What solutions have been proposed?
Islanders have suggested that Argyll and Bute Council discontinue the early morning sailing in the short term and restore the later one. More significantly, discussions with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency have identified a possible way to restore both early and evening sailings: operating with a skipper and one deckhand, subject to a 28-passenger limit, according to The Scotsman. This proposal could potentially address the council's crewing concerns while meeting community needs.
What is the council's position?
Argyll and Bute Council said it was progressing against an action plan for the island's ferry services and that any changes must be affordable, safe, sustainable and legally compliant. The council indicated it was continuing discussions with the community council on future timetables, crewing options, survey findings and a proposed ferry forum, though no decision date has been reported.
Transport Scotland said Transport Secretary Stephen Flynn would respond to the community council in due course. A spokesman stated:
The Scottish government must respect the autonomy of local authorities to develop their own standards and accountability to local electorates for the delivery of ferry services for which they are responsible. We want to do more where we can to support councils in improving services in their area, including the Jura ferry route.
The Scottish Government has provided Argyll and Bute Council with a further £11.4 million of resource and £15.5 million capital for inter-island connectivity, in addition to its allocation of £275.8 million for 2026/27. A spokesman added:
This underlines our wish to see our island communities better connected and provides Argyll and Bute Council with greater flexibility to deliver the ferry services they are responsible for.
What happens next?
The council said it was continuing discussions with the community council regarding future timetables and crewing options. A 2025–2030 community action plan calls for the early and late bookable ferry sailings not to affect one another and for improved coordination between Jura's ferry, buses, CalMac services and flights. The outcome of ongoing negotiations between the council and the community remains uncertain, with residents awaiting a resolution to restore the service that the majority of islanders depend on.
