Supporters of the change from the current 45-minute frequency claim an hourly timetable would improve connections for foot passengers between ferry and train services at Wemyss Bay, as well as making the overall timetable much easier to remember for both pedestrians and vehicle drivers.

A possible trade-off for the reduction in frequency could come in the shape of earlier and/or later crossings, while a new timetable might also be able to maintain the current frequency during the morning and evening peak hours to cater for commuter traffic.

The idea was put forward at a meeting between CalMac officials and members of the Bute Ferry Users Group (BFUG) on the island last week - and now we're inviting readers of The Buteman to tell us what you think about it.

CalMac's upper Clyde route manager Brian Fulton told us that the idea was, at the moment, nothing more than an idea, and the company was open to public opinion on the subject.

"What I threw into the pot at the meeting was the basic idea of an hourly service, with the first sailings in the morning at half past six and seven o'clock, and then hourly for the rest of the day with the last sailing at eight o'clock at night," Mr Fulton told us.

"But whatever we suggest, it would have to be put out to the public.

"We want to make it clear this is not something we are going ahead with until it has been properly consulted on.

"Under the conditions of our contract we would have to give the government six months' notice of any timetable changes in any case, so it's not going to happen overnight.

"It's just something we want to get people's opinions on at this stage. It's not a secret, and if public opinion is that people don't want it, then it won't happen."

BFUG chair Reeni Kennedy said: "The idea has come up on the rumour mill on several occasions in the past, and each time the general sense we have is it would be an unwelcome reduction in service.

"This time our second reaction is well, let's see the full proposal with all the detail behind it, and CalMac have agreed to give us that in writing.

"They have said it would not impact on the commuter sailings in the morning and evening, and though there would be a net loss of two sailings a day there is a possibility of a later sailing in the evening.

"For a lot of people an hourly service would make sense; for a lot of other people it wouldn't. Some people think it would be the thin end of the wedge - they wouldn't trust CalMac not to do anything else to make it worse."

Island councillor Robert Macintyre, a long time critic of many aspects of CalMac's Bute services, told us: "Since I first heard of this idea I've asked several people for their thoughts and I think it might get a lot of support.

"My initial thought was that it would be a diminution of the service, but the more you think about it, provided they gave us earlier and later sailings it maybe wouldn't be that bad - you would always know in your mind when the next boat would be.

"I do think the idea is worth exploring - it would be wrong to say a flat no to it."

* What do you want to see from your Rothesay ferry service? Would the trade-off of later sailings make an hourly timetable a good idea, or is it an unacceptable cut in the overall service? Would the 'commuter' timetable need to be retained? Register or sign in below to send us your comments, or email us direct at bute.newsdesk@buteman.com.