A lack of joined-up thinking could have tourists and islanders from Cape Clear thumbing it to Skibbereen.
Islander John Kelly contacted The Southern Star to point out several instances in which he claims there is little or no collaboration between the Local Link bus operator and ferry operators. He claimed islanders without cars parked at the long-term car park on the mainland in Baltimore are seriously inconvenienced.
Mr Kelly highlighted some timetable scheduling that works perfectly. For example, he said anyone leaving the island at 7am arrives in Baltimore in plenty of time to catch the 8am bus to Skibbereen.
But he suggested that the two most popular ferries – the one at 12 noon and the one at 4pm – are not in sync with the bus timetable on the mainland.
John, who has lived on Cape Clear since 1994, said both of those ferries arrive in Baltimore 10 minutes too late to catch the connecting bus to Skibbereen.
As a result, he said islanders and tourists have to wait about an hour and a half for the next one.
Relatively, he said some might say that 90 minutes isn’t a long wait, but he claims it is for those with ailments and those of advanced years, as well as being a hardship in times of inclement weather.
The 71-year-old said he used to be able to take a direct ferry from Cape Clear to Schull to see his GP, but now he has to strategically plan his day to get a bus or taxi to Skibbereen and then an onward connection to Schull.
He said it’s not just him who is inconvenienced: backpackers, indeed anyone else travelling on shank’s mare has time to kill while waiting for the next bus service.
He said he locals and visitors alike have welcomed the advent of faster ferry times, and the introduction of the Local Link bus service since mid-December, but he cannot understand why they are not properly aligned.
Mr Kelly said he has raised the issue with the ferry company and Local Link, as well as with the three Oireachtas members in Cork South West with a view to having the two ferries set out 30 minutes earlier so they would be in line with the bus schedule.
The manager of Cape Clear Ferries, Karen Cottrell, acknowledged that the number of buses from Baltimore to Skibbereen has increased from two per day to seven.
She said that Cape Clear Ferries operated four return trips daily, which is eight runs at the height of the season, but add more when needed.
The manager said the company continues to invest in its services in terms of providing new vessels and faster ferries, as well as tours, and strives to meet all of its customers’ needs.
A spokesperson for the National Transport Authority said: ‘Whilst efforts have been made to make connections with the Cape Clear ferry it is not always possible due to the restrictions of the bus route. We have allowed for connections where possible, and while there are no current enhancements planned for the route we will keep this comment in mind in the future if there is demand for further connections.’
