Last updated: 19 September 2026
Western Ferries Checker is a free, unofficial app that shows the live status, the timetable and community queue reports for the Western Ferries service between Dunoon and Gourock. It is made by Stefano Virgili ("Ste", "I" or "me"). The app is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, Western Ferries.
This information is deleted when you uninstall the app or clear its data.
The app loads the ferry status from my server (hosted by Cloudflare), and the timetable and the list of local sponsors from Google Sheets. As with any website or app, these services can see your IP address and basic device information when the app connects. I do not use this to identify you.
If you turn on notifications, the app gets a notification token from Expo's push service and sends it to my server together with your phone type (Android or iPhone) and the date the app was installed. This lets me send you an alert when the ferry service changes to amber or red. The token is not linked to your name, email address or any account. Alerts are delivered through Expo's push notification service.
The token is kept until it stops working (for example if you uninstall the app), or until you ask me to delete it. To stop alerts at any time, turn notifications off in the app or in your phone's settings.
When you tap "Report queue", the app sends the terminal you chose (Dunoon or Gourock) and the random, anonymous ID that the app made for your phone. My server also sees your IP address, as it does for every request. It stores only scrambled (hashed) versions of the ID and the IP address, together with the time of the report. This is used to count how many different phones have reported, to stop the same phone reporting over and over, and to limit misuse.
Reports older than 30 minutes are ignored and are deleted automatically, at the latest within an hour. Other users only see that a report exists and how long ago it was made, nothing about who made it. Queue reports come from other app users and are not official Western Ferries information.
The app shows ads provided by Google AdMob. To show ads and measure how they perform, Google and its partners may collect and use information from your phone, such as your advertising ID, IP address, device details and how you interact with ads. Whether ads are personalised depends on your choice:
You can read how Google uses information from apps that use its services at policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites.
The "Support Local" section shows local businesses that support the app. Tapping one opens their website or email. I do not share any information about you with sponsors, and they cannot see who you are from the app. Once you visit a sponsor's website, their own privacy policy applies.
I do not sell your information. These providers may process data outside the UK, under their own privacy policies and safeguards.
You can ask me what information I hold that relates to you, ask me to delete it, or withdraw your consent at any time by emailing sfav1985@gmail.com. Because the app does not use accounts, I may need you to give me your notification token or queue ID to find your information. If you are unhappy with how your information is handled, you can complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.
The app is not aimed at children, and I do not knowingly collect information from children.
If the app changes in a way that affects your privacy, I will update this page and the date at the top.
Stefano Virgili, sfav1985@gmail.com