JustMe Posted October 5, 2011 Report Share Posted October 5, 2011 Can anyone think of a way that, should Northlink be awarded the next ferry contract, the Scottish Government can avoid cries of "favouritism" and "inside information" from the losing bidders. This matters as we do not want to see an inferior bidder getting awarded the contract because the Government fears such an accusation but equally we do not want Northlink to get the contract when someone else can offer a better service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exciseman Posted October 5, 2011 Report Share Posted October 5, 2011 The government don't give a flying fortress who gets the contract - they are just looking for a way of reducing the £40 million yearly subsidy - and who can blame them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amno Posted October 5, 2011 Report Share Posted October 5, 2011 40 mill? i never knew it was as much as that i knew it was in the millions but thats seriously high! wonder how that is any time ive been opn the car deck looks fairly busy with artic wagons and they must pay a premium for it, well unless there going to find a whole lot of efficiancy saving it looks like itl be higher fairs or poorer service or both who ever gets the contract. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavi Ugl Posted October 5, 2011 Report Share Posted October 5, 2011 My only hope is that Streamline don't get it...... Would the "last person out" switch off the lights if they do..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lively Posted October 5, 2011 Report Share Posted October 5, 2011 Can anyone think of a way that, should Northlink be awarded the next ferry contract, the Scottish Government can avoid cries of "favouritism" and "inside information" from the losing bidders. This matters as we do not want to see an inferior bidder getting awarded the contract because the Government fears such an accusation but equally we do not want Northlink to get the contract when someone else can offer a better service.What makes you think anybody else can offer a better service? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danzig Posted October 5, 2011 Report Share Posted October 5, 2011 Can anyone think of a way that, should Northlink be awarded the next ferry contract, the Scottish Government can avoid cries of "favouritism" and "inside information" from the losing bidders. This matters as we do not want to see an inferior bidder getting awarded the contract because the Government fears such an accusation but equally we do not want Northlink to get the contract when someone else can offer a better service.What makes you think anybody else can offer a better service?who is to say that northlink is the only competative company in the market? living in shetland is a costly choice and we pay top dollar for everything we get why not get the best service we can??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMe Posted October 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2011 Not saying anyone else can offer a better service or at least not a better service for the same fares and subsidy but it is always possible. And of course it is possible that one of the other bidders has found a way to operate the same service at the same fares but at a lower subsidy. One way to reduce costs might be to flag out the passenger vessels to somewhere that might count as a "flag of convenience" or is this banned by the terms of the contract. Note that the Northlink freight vessels are registered in Douglas......I presume that is in the Isle of Man. Other companies might find ways to reduce admin costs........and if any new company offers an Indian call centre I am going by plane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted October 6, 2011 Report Share Posted October 6, 2011 Can anyone think of a way that, should Northlink be awarded the next ferry contract, the Scottish Government can avoid cries of "favouritism" and "inside information" from the losing bidders. De-nationalise CalMac, or at least the Northlink portion of CalMac. There is no good reason for a nationalised company bidding for the route, nationalised companies only have a place where inadequate commercial enterprise interest exists to create a competitive tendering process, which is definitely not the case on the route this time around. Accusations of dubious practices will always remain unavoidable, in situations where the client and tenderer are no further apart than different tentacles of the same monster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lively Posted October 6, 2011 Report Share Posted October 6, 2011 I cant see the service changing much at all. The boats will continue to use Aberdeen meaning there's nothing Northlink (or anybody else for that matter) can do when the Aberdeen harbour is closed due to SE gales & strong tides.The same boats will be used so anybody who complained about the lack of cabins will continue to complain.In all probability, it will be the same Captains on the boats. Its them that decides if the boat is sailing in bad conditions so that will continue to be a prob for many.Financially we will continue to pay high fares due to where we live. As GR says, de-nationalise. 5 companies are said to be interested in the route which to me is a fairly competitive tendering process Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavi Ugl Posted October 6, 2011 Report Share Posted October 6, 2011 It's obvious that the SNP have botched the whole issue because in the end it was hurried out without any of the proposed changes. However, we live in times where money talks and with the SNP eager to save money a big company like SeaCargo might be able to upset the apple cart..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ll Posted October 6, 2011 Report Share Posted October 6, 2011 One wonders if the same £770,000-00 per week being spent on Northlink be put towards tunnelling, how long it take to link up the islands by tunnels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking dawn Posted October 6, 2011 Report Share Posted October 6, 2011 Doesn't look like you're a fan of SeaCargo and Streamline, Kavi Ugl - they might be able to do a half decent job? After all the grumbling on here over the years about the failings of Northlink I'd be surprised if anyone wasn't keen for a change. Looks like we'll still be going to Aberdeen on the same vessels whoever gets it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavi Ugl Posted October 6, 2011 Report Share Posted October 6, 2011 Doesn't look like you're a fan of SeaCargo and Streamline, Kavi Ugl - they might be able to do a half decent job? After all the grumbling on here over the years about the failings of Northlink I'd be surprised if anyone wasn't keen for a change. Looks like we'll still be going to Aberdeen on the same vessels whoever gets it. Hmm, I'm not sure where you get the idea I'm not a fan of Sea Cargo?!. I wouldn't mind seeing Sea Cargo get it because they might even be able to open up a link with Norway. NorthLink simply aren't interested in that, and have no intention of trying whatever the "contract says". As for Streamline, their eyes are bigger than their belly. There was a thread on here some time ago(can anybody find it?) and the experiences of many(myself included) of Streamline were shocking. So yes, I'm certainly not a fan of Streamline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EM Posted October 6, 2011 Report Share Posted October 6, 2011 As for Streamline,... There was a thread on here some time ago(can anybody find it?)http://www.shetlink.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10907 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch76 Posted October 6, 2011 Report Share Posted October 6, 2011 I am hopeing that we get something totaly new along with new boats that can sail in the kinda weather we get here and maybe even some cheeper fairs and not this constant Rip Us Off that we all seam to go through why is it just because we live on this stunning and fantastic island must we losse out .Are we not alowed to get cheep fairs ? Change is needed now . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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