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CLYDE AND HEBRIDES FERRY SERVICES: INVITATION TO TENDER

ANNEX 9
RATES, FARES AND CHARGES

Standard fares are included in the timetables. Please note that on some routes, some fares vary between the winter and the summer timetable. These differences occur on:

This Annex and Annex 10 set out the fares for all other types of user including commercial users, season tickets and other special charges. It also includes information on:

• validity of tickets
• special charging arrangements
• parcel rates in the Clyde area
• Western Isles freight rates and livestock rates
• rules for conveyance of livestock

Tenderers should note that some of CalMac's operational procedures are described here (e.g. requirements for accompanied animals). The Operator will be free to use his own procedures providing that at least as good a service is offered to users and that all safety and other regulatory/legislative requirements are met.

The rates quoted are for the financial year 2004/05. A general fares increase of 2.5% has been agreed for 2005/06. CalMac's full Table of Rates, Fares and Charges for 2005/06 will be available in the information room.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Validity of Principal Tickets - Tickets not Transferable

The operator must provide these tickets (except #) as a minimum. However the terms of the contract will not prevent them offering cheaper fares and/or more beneficial terms and conditions.

•Return tickets are charged at the sum of the single fares applicable on the dates of travel.

* 5/6/10/30/50 journey vehicle tickets are available only for self-propelled vehicles. Change of vehicle - multi-journey tickets may be used for a vehicle other than the one for which it was purchased by placing (by a member of staff) the 'sticker' on the top left corner of the header portion and inserting the new registration number in the appropriate place. These tickets are non-refundable.

# The operator will not be required to provide Island Rover and Island Hopscotch as these are marketing initiatives to facilitate tourism throughout the Clyde and Hebrides services. However, the Executive will require the operator, as part of the prescribed minimum, to make available comparable products to foster tourism, which is key to the economic wellbeing of the Highlands and Islands. The precise format will not form part of the minimum standard, since operators may be able to bring forward innovative ideas and improve on the current arrangements.

SPECIAL CHARGING ARRANGEMENTS

RESIDENTIAL CARAVANS

Residential caravans must be carried on a transporter and the total length (and width supplement if appropriate) must be charged at commercial rates. This applies in both directions.

TRACKED VEHICLES

Road rollers, metal-tracked vehicles, and rubber-tracked vehicles exceeding 3 tonnes in weight, will only be accepted when carried on a transporter. On Island Class vessels when the transporter cannot fit on the vessel, owner to supply suitable material to protect the deck and vehicle charged at double commercial rate.

Rubber tracked vehicles not exceeding 3 tonnes gross weight may be shipped without a transporter on a sailing of the company's choice and will be charged double the commercial rate.

BICYCLES (includes bicycles towing purpose-built bicycle trailers)

Conveyed free of charge if one of the following passenger tickets held:

• 5, 6 and 10 journey
• Island Hopscotch
• Island Rover

CARAVANS

Caravans are not permitted on Colonsay and Gigha.

On Island Class services caravans should not exceed 5m and may require to reverse when boarding.

Caravans are not conveyed unless attached to a towing vehicle.

DEFINITION OF COACHES

Mini Bus - not exceeding 5m - charge as car (does not include driver's fare)

Mini Coach - exceeding 5m and not exceeding 8m - charge as per fares table (includes driver's fare)

Coach - exceeding 8m - charge as per fares table. If carrying less than 12 fare paying passengers to charge at commercial vehicle rate(includes driver's fare).

DEFINITION OF MOTOR HOME

A motor home is generally defined as a windowed vehicle containing permanent living facilities. There are some motor homes on the road which are non-windowed but which have been fitted out with permanent living facilities. These should also be classed as motor homes for charging purposes.

MOTORCYCLE AND SIDE CAR/TRICYCLE

Charge as motorcycle.

CANOES

Flat rate of 5 single on all routes.

COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

All Commercial Vehicles, light vans and Pickups over 5m in length will be charged as commercial vehicles.

Light vans and Pickups exceeding 5m in length, or 3m in height, or 2.3m in width, or 3.5 tonnes maximum allowable weight (plated weight) charged at commercial rates.

The charging arrangement for commercial vehicles exceeding standard width is as for any vehicle over 3.1m - charged as 1.5 single rate.

UNACCOMPANIED CARS

Currently on all crossings of less than 90 minutes duration all cars must be accompanied. Exceptions will be allowed at the discretion of the Port Manager (e.g. when a customer has had his car short-shipped on a previous sailing owing to lack of deck space). In these circumstances the unaccompanied charge will be waived (in the interests of customer care) with the pier staff loading the car and the ships staff unloading it at the arrival port, if necessary. (Customers' cars must only be driven by staff who have a licence to drive that vehicle.) Unaccompanied cars landed without the driver, or his representative, being in attendance must be locked and the keys held in the port office. On crossings in excess of 90 minutes, cars may be accepted without a driver travelling although the customer, or his representative, must be available to load and unload the car, including at intermediate ports. Tenderers may choose to develop their own procedures for unaccompanied cars but they must provide at least as good a service to users as CalMac currently do.

Unaccompanied vehicles to be charged the unaccompanied rate (i.e. car + passenger + VAT) and the customer, or his representative, must buy a ticket in advance and thereby accept the Conditions of Carriage.

Unaccompanied cars will not be accepted for shipment on any of the "small ferry" routes.

DINGHIES

Charge as baggage trailer. Must be accompanied by/attached to a car.

EXCESS LUGGAGE

Passengers are allowed 40 kg each of personal luggage (suitcases, rucksacks etc - not commercial goods) free. All above this weight must be charged 5.00 for each 5 kg or part thereof, thereafter.

All luggage must be distinctly and fully addressed and passengers are required to see that it is properly labelled for the pier at which they intend to land. All luggage, cycles, etc. are carried entirely at owners' risk and shippers are advised to insure against all contingencies.

HEARSE/REMAINS

Charged at the appropriate car rate. Remains - not in a hearse - are conveyed free of charge on major ferries and only on the longer routes.

A special rate applies on the Oban - Craignure route, though to qualify, the hearse MUST RETURN ON THE SAME SAILING. The driver fare is included in the hearse charge.

AMBULANCE

Charged at the appropriate car rate except for Wemyss Bay - Rothesay and Largs - Cumbrae Slip (see tables 3 and 5 of the Table of Rates and Fares available in the information room). Fare does not include driver or any occupants.

TOWED HORSEBOXES (or towed livestock trailers not exceeding 5m)

Loaded with livestock only - charge the appropriate car rate (or multi-journey ticket if appropriate).

Empty (1) - no charge when conveying livestock on other leg of the journey.

Empty (2) - other than above - charge normal trailer rate (multi journey ticket not available).

e.g. a car towing a horsebox, loaded with livestock in one direction, and returning empty, can hand over 3 portions of the car multi-journey to cover the whole trip.

TOWED VEHICLES - including farm tractors

Caravans and trailers (not exceeding 8m) towed by a car rated vehicle (irrespective of what is being carried) should be charged at brochure rates applicable to route.

For caravans and trailers which exceed 8m and are towed by a car rated vehicle, the towing vehicle should be charged at the brochure car rate, and the trailer at commercial vehicle rate.

Where any caravan, trailer etc is towed by a commercial rated vehicle (this includes tractors, for this purpose) then the total overall length is charged at commercial rates.

Any caravan or trailer which exceeds 8 metres to be charged at the commercial rate.

TOWED VEHICLES - FARM TRACTORS AND IMPLEMENTS

Farm tractors towing wheeled implements other than trailers, travelling from an island for repair and then returning to the island, only the implement should be charged.

Farm tractors travelling alone should be charged at the appropriate motor home rate.

CASUALTY ANIMALS

Dead animals may only be carried if accompanied by declaration from transporter that the carcass is fresh.

HAY AND STRAW

Provided the lorry is returning empty there is a 50% discount on both outward and inward journeys.

Where a cattle float containing hay or straw is travelling to the island to uplift animals and will be paying the full commercial rate on the return journey then the outward journey will be charged at 50% of the commercial rate.

BRITISH RAIL PRIVILEGE TICKET RATES - Valid Identity Cards

25% single fare for single journey

50% single fare for return journey

Not valid on the following services:-

Colintraive-Rhubodach
Mallaig-Small Isles
Mallaig-Armadale (winter timetable only)
Oban-Lismore
Fionnphort-Iona
Fishnish-Lochaline
Tobermory-Kilchoan
Sconser-Raasay
Berneray-Leverburgh
Largs-Cumbrae Slip
Tayinloan-Gigha
Lochranza-Claonaig
Tarbert-Portavadie

BRITRAIL PASS OR CITYLINK EXPLORER

These passes are not valid on CHFS services.

LEFT LUGGAGE

Each Package 1.00 per day

LOOSE FREIGHT

CalMac provides loose freight facilities on the following routes:

• Wemyss Bay-Rothesay
• Ardrossan-Brodick
• Mallaig-Small Isles

Parcel Rates - Clyde Area (available between any two Clyde terminals)

Conditions and Regulations

1. Merchandise, livestock and vehicles are carried subject to the Conditions of Caledonian MacBrayne Limited.

2. Dangerous or inflammable goods are only acceptable by prior arrangement.

per consignment (includes Pier Dues).

NOTE:
Maximum weight of any package 50 kg. Consignments exceeding 50 kg - use summation of charges.

Western Isles Freight Rates

Mallaig/Small Isles

Parcels - Mallaig/Armadale - Clyde Parcel Rates apply

CalMac also provides a service for the Royal Mail on the following routes. Its contract covers a number of routes and range from the carriage of mail only through to the carriage of a mail van with driver. The breakdown of journeys (one way) is as follows:

*mail vehicle and driver
** loose mail only
*** Combination of loose mail and van/driver

HORSES

Horses must be accompanied. Please note, there is no headage rate for horses - the vehicle rate applies.

WESTERN ISLES - LIVESTOCK RATES (exclusive of VAT)

* Up to 6 months

Note: Any port requiring "on the hoof" (headage) rate for use as detailed in 'floats' (see page 22 of the Table of Rates and Fares) not covered by the above should use the Kennacraig-Islay rate.

CONVEYANCE OF LIVESTOCK

Charging and Shipping Arrangements for Livestock Trailers not exceeding 5m (Oban based services)

Shipping Arrangements - Barra, Uist, Coll, Tiree and Colonsay

Trailers may be accepted without a towing vehicle in both Summer and Winter, subject to the following conditions:

• trailer must be no more than 5m in length of 3.5t in weight
• trailers must be of approved construction and be fitted with a jockey-wheel and brake
• trailers must be booked in advance and should not turn up unannounced
• a maximum of 2 unaccompanied trailers will be allowed on any one sailing
• trailers will be carried at the Master's discretion after taking other factors, such as weather, into consideration
• where trailers are not met at the arrival port the company reserves the right to return these to the departure port and charge the customer accordingly

Charging Arrangements - Barra, Uist, Coll, Tiree and Colonsay

• trailers loaded with livestock may be charged at headage rate if this is cheaper than the appropriate car rate
• trailers travelling empty on one leg and carrying livestock on the other leg are carried free of charge
• if a towing vehicle is shipped it will be charged at the appropriate car rate

N.B. Where a towing vehicle is being shipped with a livestock trailer at the company's request (i.e. when the livestock would otherwise be refused due to weather conditions), Port Supervisors/Managers have the discretion to waive the charge for the vehicle on condition it returns on the next available sailing.

Ticketing Arrangement - Barra, Uist, Coll, Tiree and Colonsay

• return tickets must be issued/held at the start of the journey. This may be either an empty livestock trailer ticket and a normal rate trailer ticket (or headage rate ticket), or if a towing vehicle is being shipped, an empty trailer ticket and sufficient portions of the towing vehicle's 6 journey book. N.B. Tickets from a 6 journey book may not be used where a towing vehicle is not being shipped
• the normal rate trailer ticket, or next portion of the 6 journey book, should be marked 'livestock trailer'

Where the trailer is being shipped to the mainland for a sale, and the customer is unsure of livestock numbers, a normal rate trailer ticket should be issued as above. If, on their return to the island, the customer wishes to pay headage rate, the customer may exchange his trailer ticket in Oban for a headage ticket and be refunded the difference.

All routes except Oban based services

Trailers must be under tow, and if carrying animals, three tickets out of the towing vehicle book will be accepted for the return journey. (Empty trailers which have carried, or will carry, livestock on the other leg are carried free but the towing vehicle must be charged in the normal manner).

Floats

On all routes loaded floats are charged full commercial rate. When empty they are carried free of charge (except for pier dues). If a float is travelling to uplift animals or making a return journey having carried animals on the other leg and would normally be empty it is permitted to carry up to five cattle or thirty sheep at the headage rate.

Return tickets at the 50% discount to be issued and if necessary the vehicle can be excessed at the return port.

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