Tiree 'almost out of petrol' due to ferry problems

The only filling station on the Isle of Tiree is almost out of petrol because the ferry serving the island is not big enough to carry a fuel tanker.

The community trust which runs Crosspol Filling Station is enforcing a £25 cap on petrol purchases.

It comes after the vessel which usually serves Tiree, the MV Clansman was diverted to another route and replaced with the smaller MV Isle of Mull.

Ferry operator CalMac said the MV Loch Nevis would be diverted from its small isles route to make the delivery.

It comes about a month after the firm admitted that almost a third of its fleet of ferries serving the Clyde coast and islands was not operating.

Many ferries have needed unplanned repairs while others were away for scheduled maintenance.

Phil Meyer, of Tiree Community Development Trust, said they were aware that fuel supply could be an issue when they were told the MV Isle of Mull would be covering the route between the island and Oban.

It is smaller than the main vessel, the MV Clansman, which has been diverted to help cover the Uig in Skye to Tarbert in Harris route.

He added: "When it started it was only supposed to be for a couple of weeks and that was fine because there had been a petrol delivery not long ago.

"But more recently we've started raising the alarm because if this goes on for any longer, we're going to have real problems and it just kept happening.

"We've got to the point where we are just about out of petrol. It would be fair to say that the patience and tolerance has started to wear thin for a lot of people"

The trust said that, if necessary, they would hold back remaining stock for emergency services and essential workers.

A spokesperson for CalMac said: "The Tiree service has been operated by a vessel with smaller capacity while there has been widespread network disruption.

"We are aware that this has led to problems with fuel deliveries to the island, and we are working closely with the local community to find a solution to this."