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CalMac hits out at rival operators |
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Sunday Herald
By Alan Crawford, Special Correspondent
FERRY operator Caledonian MacBrayne has launched an unprecedented attack on potential rivals for its West coast and Clyde routes, accusing them of mounting a ?strategic attack? on its operations.
CalMac?s head of communications, Hugh MacLennan, said the state-owned company was ?under siege? from potential competitors flooding CalMac?s offices with requests under Freedom of Information legislation.
CalMac is dealing with more than 100 requests for information from two rival companies alone, while the Scottish Executive is understood to have received about 400 FOI requests for information about CalMac?s operations.
MacLennan said: ?We are not saying the [Freedom of Information] Act shouldn?t be there, or should work only where we can easily answer public questions, but when it comes to being under siege by potential competitors, we have got to ask whether the reason is to undermine our operation.?
CalMac directors are concerned that they are being asked to reveal sensitive information at a time when the company is having to tender for services to the 22 islands and 4 peninsulas which it currently serves.
They have complained to Scottish Information Commissioner Kevin Dunion but have been told there is no way around dealing with each request individually.
Of the 159 FOI requests received since the beginning of the year, by far the greatest number of requests, 103 in all, came from two potential competitors to CalMac ? Arran Ferries and Western Ferries.
Western Ferries managing director Gordon Ross confirmed the company had submitted about 40 requests to CalMac but denied the number was excessive.
Arran Ferries chief executive Russell McLean vowed the ?FOI confetti? would keep coming, adding: ?It?s like a scab, we are picking at CalMac. It just keeps festering away.? |
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