CALEDONIAN MacBrayne's two lightweight passenger-only ferries operating between Gourock and Dunoon racked up more than 1,300 cancelled sailings between them last year.

Figures revealed via a Freedom of Information laws show that MV Argyll Flyer and MV Ali Cat failed to sail due to a mixture of not being able to cope with windy weather and breakdowns.

Across the entire CalMac fleet technical failures were responsible for 1,069 service cancellations in 2019.

The Scottish Green Party — which obtained the data — has now called for a complete overhaul of the national ferry operator with brand new vessels as a matter of urgency.

Argyll Flyer and Ali Cat have suffered 4,500 cancellations in three and a half years — 678 of those in the first six months of 2019.

The 667 recorded cancellations in the second half of last year brought the annual total to 1,345 — and 5,167 for the full four-year period.

The operator's other local route from Wemyss Bay-Rothesay suffered 621 cancellations last year.

Greens transport spokesman John Finnie MSP said: "CalMac is entrusted to deliver lifeline services to remote and island communities up and down the west coast, so it is particularly concerning that the number of cancellations as a result of technical breakdowns has greatly increased in the last year.

"Behind these cancellations are people unable to attend hospital appointments on the mainland, missed job interviews, small businesses unable to send and receive goods, and a loss of important tourism revenue."

Mr Finnie added: "We know that the bulk of the fleet needs renewed.

"The average age of the CalMac fleet is 23 years, and the Scottish Government’s own ferry plan for 2013–2022 highlighted that the majority of the vessels needed to be replaced.

"This hasn’t happened and we’re left with the situation where we have an ageing fleet which requires longer periods of maintenance and repair.

"The cabinet secretary for transport must urgently review the vessels deployment and replacement plan, ensuring community representatives and trade unions are at the heart of the procurement process, in order to deliver a fleet that communities served by the Clyde and Hebrides services deserve."