Little Minch Routes—Infrastructure

Tarbert Ferry Terminal, Isle of Harris

Two new vessels for the Little MinchUigLochmaddy Tarbert Harris

Welcome to the Little Minch Routes Infrastructure Programme page, formerly known as the Skye Triangle. Overall programme updates and progress will be published in this section, as well as details of planned stakeholder events to be held at all three ports.  Previous copies of event presentations and exhibition boards, as well as stakeholder Q&As, are also included here.

For updates and details of construction progress at each of the three individual ports, please click on the location sections above.  Each of these also includes information about local meetings and contact details for local enquiries.

Name the new vessels for the Little Minch

30 November 2023

CMAL has launched a public vote to help choose the names for two new ferries to serve the Little Minch routes.

Cast your vote now ›

October 2023 Update

4 October 2023

New vessels for the Little Minch—please follow the link at the top of this page for more details on the vessel builds and further information.

Public Meetings—the public information events expected to take place in Autumn 2023 have been postponed until Winter 2023; while the Infrastructure Steering Group continue to progress reviews of the interfaces between the ports and the new vessels, in conjunction with CalMac’s operational planning and timetable development.

The review of options to maximise operational efficiencies includes the potential to bring forward the renewal of the linkspan at Lochmaddy.  All options will be subject to affordability and funding approval.

CalMac continues to develop the deployment plans for the vessels on the Little Minch routes. CalMac’s intention is to commence community timetable consultations in late 2023, with final timetables planned to be published with network-wide summer 2025 timetables in October 2024. Further information on the consultations will be shared here when available.

Please use the links aside to access information on the infrastructure projects at Tarbert at Uig and Lochmaddy.

May 2023 Update

19 May 2023

New vessels for the Little Minch—please follow the link at the top of this page for more details on the vessel builds and further information. The planned delivery dates for the vessels to CMAL are June 2025 and October 2025 respectively, and they will undergo crew familiarisation and local operational trials before entering into service.

CalMac is currently developing deployment plans for the vessels on the Little Minch routes. CalMac’s intention is to commence community timetable consultations in late 2023, with final timetables planned to be published with network-wide summer 2025 timetables in October 2024. Further information on the consultations will be shared here when available.

The main construction works at Tarbert are now complete, and construction at Uig and Lochmaddy is progressing—please use the above links for further for details on the projects.

Public meetings to share updates on the new vessels and port works are being planned for early Autumn 2023, and details will be shared here when available.

Public meetings

14 November 2022

Public meetings have been arranged to engage with local communities at Uig, Lochmaddy and Tarbert (Harris) regarding the two new vessels being procured for the Little Minch.

The meetings will include a presentation from Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) regarding the vessel type, cargo configuration, passenger areas, accessibility and overall vessel configuration.  There will then be a Q&A session.

Communities are invited to attend their local meeting:

Tuesday 22 November: 6pm–8pm—Uig Village Hall

Wednesday 23 November: 6pm–8pm—Lochmaddy Village Hall

Thursday 24 November: 6pm–8pm—Tarbert Village Hall

There will be further engagement with communities regarding timetables and scheduling at a later date.

CalMac seeking community views

15 December 2021

Due to infrastructure upgrades being undertaken by The Highland Council, the harbour will be closed for a period of 21 weeks from 12 September 2022 until 03 February 2023.

Consultations will be held on the following dates/times and locations:

  • Benbecula, Balivanich Hall: 15 December 2021, 5.30–8pm
  • Uig Village Hall: 16 December. 11am–1pm
  • Tarbert Community Centre: 16 December, 6–8pm

Uig, Tarbert and Lochmaddy harbours are all being upgraded to replace life expiry infrastructure and to enable CalMac to deliver an effective service when new vessel 802 is introduced into service.

Operations Director Robert Morrison said: “The upgrades will deliver many improvements, but the closure of a port means that we have to carefully plan alternative timetables.

“We recognise that the closure will be challenging for our customers, and for this reason, community views are extremely important. I would encourage people to attend the consultation events and to let us know what they think.”

Public meetings

6th December 2019

Meetings were held in November to update communities on the harbour upgrade projects at Tarbert, Lochmaddy and Uig.

You can view the exhibition boards from the meetings here:

Public meetings

25th October 2019

Meetings will be held in November to update communities on the harbour upgrade projects at Tarbert, Lochmaddy and Uig:

  • Uig Village Hall
    Monday 25th November, 4pm–7pm
  • Harris Hotel
    Tuesday 26th November, 4pm–7pm
  • Lochmaddy Village Hall
    Wednesday 27th November, 4pm–7pm

Individuals are welcome to drop in at any time during the meetings.

Work is now underway at Tarbert and tender evaluations for a construction contractor are currently in progress for Lochmaddy.  The tender to appoint a contractor for work at Uig has been issued.

The meetings will be attended by representatives from CMAL, CalMac, Transport Scotland and Highland Council.

Exhibition boards & presentations

Stakeholder Q&As

Summary of proposals