Question reference: S6W-09479
- Asked by: Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 30 June 2022
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Current status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 28 July 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the new booking system for CalMac Ferries, Ar Turas, will gauge unmet demand for ferry services, and, if not, what systems can be put in place to ensure that unmet demand is recorded.
Answer
CalMac has noted that it is not possible to measure unmet demand using booking systems, including the eBooking solution being delivered by the Ar Turas Programme. We understand the desire to measure bookings “not made” for a specific set of reasons, principally vessel capacity on peak-demand sailings.
CalMac has been running a working group with a number of CalMac Community Board members during the last 18 months to help clarify and support understanding of measures that can be tracked. The group has explored a range of ideas and CalMac has developed a number of reports designed to support enhanced understanding of how and when vehicle bookings are made, amended, cancelled and the resulting impact on capacity. These requirements have been taken-forward for delivery against the improved data that the new system will capture.
A number of these items have already been made available in monthly Ferry User Group performance reporting packs.