It gets worse

The "New" vessel for the Gourock-Dunoon route actually has a smaller capacity than the Ali Cat
The garbage (sorry press release) that the Government released said "The Argyll Ferries bid offers a bigger and faster vessel, providing capacity for up to 244 people and complementing a smaller alternate boat. Between them the vessels will provide a service of half hour frequency on the route".

As I first pointed out in my website through the public tender notice, the Ali Cat is the "smaller aternate" vessel and what is presently called MV Banrion Chonomara is the "bigger" vessel. It specifications are here

But Ali Cat's capacity at 250 passengers is actually slightly more than Banrion Chonomara. And a sharp-eyed Innellan resident pointed out to me that while Banrion Chonomara's capacity is 244 passengers, it only has saloon seating for 120 passengers

You want to see where the likely difference comes from? Have a look at this picture of Ali Cat with happy smiling people on the top deck

Of course that top deck is not used by Ali Cat on the Clyde, alfresco commuting in a January gale not being something that even this Government would condemn its users to. It looks like the reason for the discrepancy between capacity and saloon seating for Banrion Chonomara is likely be similar to Ali Cat - about half of its capacity looks like it will be on an open top deck that will never be used.

To all intents and purposes this is another Ali Cat.

I did not think this Government could stoop any lower with their unrelenting lies and misrepresentations but they never fail to surprise me.

Neil Kay 29th May 2011