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CLYDE AND HEBRIDES FERRY SERVICES: INVITATION TO TENDER

ANNEX 13
PRESCRIBED NETWORK-WIDE SUPPORT SERVICES

There is a brochure covering all routes, a single contact point for information and reservations (08705 650000) and limited Internet ( www.calmac.co.uk) bookings. Reservations and sales are also available through travel agents in the UK and abroad. Tenderers will be required to provide a similar level of information and ticket availability to users.

There are reciprocal arrangements between CalMac and local authorities to publish (in their own timetables) the timetables for each others' ferry services.

Links with Rail Services

Rail tickets can be purchased on the Clyde services (Brodick and Rothesay) for travel to certain stations through to Glasgow as follows:

• Brodick to Paisley (Gilmour Street), Greenock (Central), Glasgow (Central) and Ayr
• Rothesay to Port Glasgow, Paisley (Gilmour Street) and Glasgow (Central)

In addition CalMac tickets for these routes can be purchased from any rail station in the UK.

Ticket Sales through Travel Agents

Tenderers will wish to note that CalMac has an arrangement in place with travel agents who sell CalMac tickets. It is a requirement of the tender that tickets for CalMac services are at least as widely available as they are now. However, the arrangements with travel agents are a commercial matter for Tenderers to consider.

Arrangements with other Travel Operators

Tenderers will wish to note that CalMac has arrangements in place (e.g. Freedom of Scotland Travel Pass, Highland Rover) with other travel operators. However, these arrangements are a commercial matter for Tenderers to consider.

Ticketing Systems

The current CalMac ticketing system will be available, on an optional basis, to all Tenderers. Further information will be available from VesCo.

CalMac currently uses two ticketing systems:

Compass - all types of ticket for the entire network can be bought where there is a Compass ticketing facility.

Storm - allows purchase of tickets for that route or for a Hopscotch package of which that route is a part. Additionally, these machines can issue multi-journey tickets and they accept credit/debit cards and credit account customers.

The following port offices and vessels have Compass ticket machines.

Port Offices

The following port offices and vessels have Storm ticket machines.

• Colintraive
• Fionnphort
• Tobermory
• Wemyss Bay
• Rothesay

The following port offices have Storm ticket machines which act as hot spares in case of breakdown:

• Largs
• Kennacraig
• Uig
• Oban

Vessels

Automated Ticket Machines

Some ports have automated ticket machines:

• Wemyss Bay
• Rothesay
• Ardrossan
• Brodick

The Lochnevis has an automated ticketing machine which provides a limited range of route-specific tickets. It can accept cash as well as credit and debit card transactions.

Vessels with no ticket facility except emergency tickets:

ANCHOR (AdvaNce Clyde and Hebridean On-line Reservations System)

This system is operatioanl 24 hours a day for all private car reservations. Such reservations can be placed on-line, by phone, e-mail or fax. The system is free and, subject to availability, allows space to be reserved on any of the current bookable services (see list below). Reservations can be made through ANCHOR up to 2 hours before sailing time. Payment by credit or debit card is required at the time of booking. This system will be available on an optional basis to the sucessful tenderer. Full details are available from VesCo.

Routes on which reservations are taken:

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