A £10 million ferry and gangways aren't up to scratch - and the problem's been seen before.

While the Bute has `teething problems` between Wemyss Bay and Rothesay, it's not the first time a new CalMac ferry hasn't worked properly.

The vessel has been allegedly irritating passengers with delays since it went into service last week. It's also been claimed there are problems matching expensive new gangways with the ship.

Clyde ferry routes have a notorious recent history, with the Coruisk sailing from Gourock to Dunoon a popular target for complaints.

When first brought into service in late 2003, the vessel was plagued with cancelled sailings and being unable to berth at high tide. The gangway's length also didn't work and the tread blocks were too sharp.

There were also problems with the lift and complaints the vessel wasn't ideal for disabled passengers.

One resident, who travelled with her 93-year-old mother, said of the Coruisk at the time: `Had CalMac done its homework and researched the needs of the population of Dunoon, they would have discovered a considerable number of elderly people travel on this ferry. The Coruisk is simply not suitable for the run.` In December 2003, Argyll and Bute Council sent CalMac the bill for damages to Dunoon Pier caused by the Coruisk, before fenders were attached to the ship's side. Appledore Shipbuilders in Devon were responsible for the 65m ferry.

CalMac insist the Bute experienced some `teething problems` but had been running on schedule since last Tuesday. It was built by the Remontowa Group in Gdansk, Poland, costing almost £9 million. The gangways in Wemyss Bay and Rothesay cost an extra £1m and were built in Hong Kong.

A spokesman for CalMac said: `There's no similarities between the MV Bute and MV Coruisk. The Coruisk was rushed into service because of difficulties with the yard building her. We had to take the ship out before it was completely finished.

`In this case the Bute is 100 per cent efficient and effective. It's the shore-side that's causing difficulties and we expect to iron them out.` The satellite ferries Jupiter, Juno and Saturn, which have been travelling back and forth to Rothesay and Dunoon for decades, were built in the 1970s in Port Glasgow.

Almost half of the entire CalMac fleet of 31 ships were proudly built in the town: Isle of Mull, Juno, Bruernish, Canna, Eigg, Hebrides, Isle of Arran, Isle of Lewis, Loch Dunvegan, Loch Fyne, Lord of the Isles and Raasay.

The last CalMac vessel built in Port Glasgow was the Hebrides in 2000.