Profile of Responses

A total of 434 responses were available for analysis, with most of these submitted through the Scottish Government’s Citizen Space consultation analysis platform. In addition to undertaking the online consultation, Transport Scotland held a number of engagement events between November 2023 and February 2024, on Arran, Bute, Cumbrae, Islay, Colonsay, Mull, Tiree, Skye, Lewis and North and South Uist. The feedback from these events is also included in the analysis.

Most of the 434 standard consultation responses were submitted by individual members of the public. There were 41 responses from organisations, with Ferry Board, Committee or Groups and Community Council or Development Trusts the two largest groups (with eight and seven respondents respectively).

Respondents were most likely to say that they mainly use CHFS services for personal/leisure use or for all of the possible reasons given: use CHFS services once a month followed or once every other week; and are aged 65 years or over.

A majority – 79% of those who answered the question – identified themselves as CHFS network residents on islands and peninsulas. In terms of a single island or peninsula, the largest number of responses came from residents of the Isle of Arran, followed by Islay and then Lewis and Harris. With respect to local authority area, the largest number of respondents were resident in Argyll and Bute.