Barrhead firm lands £15.3m contract to upgrade North Uist pier

GEORGE Leslie Ltd has secured a £15.3 million contract to carry out upgrade works at Lochmaddy Pier in North Uist.

Lochmaddy Pier is owned by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, with Transport Scotland, Caledonian Maritime Assets (CMAL), CalMac Ferries and The Highland Council set to work closely on the project to upgrade and improve the ferry provision at the pier.

The project forms part of the programme of infrastructure improvements on the Skye Triangle ferry routes, with improvement works recently completed at Tarbert, Isle of Harris and ongoing at Uig and Isle of Skye.

George Leslie Ltd will be responsible for completing all civil engineering works for the harbour upgrade project – including the extension and strengthening of the pier, upgraded fendering, seabed dredging land reclamation, and extended marshalling and parking areas.

Construction works are scheduled to start in March 2022, with completion in spring 2023.  CalMac will continue to operate ferry services during the works.

Councillor Uisdean Robertson, chairman of the Comhairle’s transportation and infrastructure committee, said, “We are very pleased to have reached this very important milestone in the delivery of infrastructure improvements for the wider Skye Triangle route.

“We look forward to continuing to work with Transport Scotland, with CMAL and now with George Leslie Ltd in making significant improvements to the pier and marshalling areas at Lochmaddy.

“We are confident that the investment in port infrastructure across the Skye Triangle routes will make a significant contribution to growing and sustaining efficient and effective transport links for the islands.”