A bid by islanders for an early morning ferry service from Cumbrae at 6.30am to help commuters get to work in Glasgow has been ruled out. 
The ferry users group are also disappointed to learn that the early 8.30am service on Sundays during the summer months is set to be axed in 2017.
And another bid for an 8.45am sailing from Largs, and 9am ferry from Cumbrae has also been denied to the islanders by Cal Mac.
Chairman of the Cumbrae ferry group, Bill Steele, has told the 'News' he is at a loss to understand why the extra flexibility to the sailing timetable cannot be adjusted, and the group has outlined sufficient ways in which the service could be run without incurring financial costs.
Although Cal Mac state that the reason behind both measures not going ahead are financial, Mr Steele has responded that with crew already available available, the more flexible times would benefit islanders without incurring extra costs. He has asked both Cal Mac and Transport Scotland to explain the financial aspects of the decision.
Mr Steele said: "The 6.30am sailing from Monday to Friday would allow people to get to work in Glasgow for 8am - the ferry could just leave Largs, without having the need for the ferry office in Largs to open, and head to Cumbrae for 6.30am, and would be back at Largs for its normal time of 6.45am."
"The other sailing we have asked for is one at 8.45am from Largs, and 9am from Cumbrae - that is a big one as people are going to hospitals and clinics, and it would be a very popular sailing. As the ferry sits in the slipway and is fully staffed anyway, I can't see how that would make a difference."
The withdrawal of the early Sunday service in the 2017 Summer timetable also doesn't make sense to the Cumbrae Ferry Users Group.
Mr Steele said: "The 8.15am from Largs and 8.30am ferry from Cumbrae has made a great difference to people during the past year since it was introduced, so it is disappointing it is being taken away. The earliest sailings on a Sunday will now be 9.15am from Largs and 9.30 from Cumbrae, and then there is a break till the 10.15am sailing from Largs. It seems baffling that there is only one sailing, and then there is an hour wait until the next one."
However, the Cumbrae Ferry Group have been told by Cal Mac that upon investigating the requests with Transport Scotland that they would require 'both additional crew and port staff', and due to the financial implications of this these requests have not been approved.