Loss of ferry would be cataclysmic for Ardrossan
‘If a vessel can’t get into Ardrossan due to weather, it can’t get into Troon. The weather that affects Ardrossan affects Troon’
Ardrossan came back fighting this week after the audacious move by Troon to secure the Arran ferry route.
The new North Ayrshire Council leader Joe Cullinane called it ‘predatory and disingenuous’ as hastily arranged talks were held between North Ayrshire Council and Ardossan port owner Peel Ports on Tuesday. He said the loss of the service would be ‘cataclysmic’ for the port.
As revealed in last week’s Banner, Associated British Ports (ABP), the owner and operator of the Port of Troon, has approached the government offering to spend £8 million on a new pier and ferry terminal to serve the main Arran route.
Business leaders on Arran have been quick to reject the move on the grounds that it would cost more for passengers, there was no guarantee of better reliability, it would increase journey times and there were no integrated transport links in Troon. However across the island views are mixed.
Councillor Cullinane and chief executive Elma Murray met with Peel Ports’ chief operating officer Gary Hodgson to examine investment options for significantly improved passenger and berthing facilities at Ardrossan for the new generation of ferries being introduced by CalMac in 2018.
Councillor Cullinane said there had been ‘significant and meaningful progress’ at the meeting and expressed his confidence that the economic, social and environmental case for the service being retained at Ardrossan was ‘overwhelming’.
He said: ‘We have been speaking to Peel Ports for several months to take forward the regeneration of the harbour and the ferry terminal, and we are greatly encouraged by these latest discussions.
‘We are now seeking an early meeting with the Scottish transport and islands minister Humza Yousaf to underline the enormous benefits of retaining Ardrossan as the shortest, fastest and cheapest route to Arran.
‘The announcement from Associated British Ports last week that they wanted to hijack the Arran service and operate it from Troon was both predatory and disingenuous. Their claim that Troon offered a more appropriate harbour simply isn’t backed up by fact.
‘In fact, a senior CalMac executive, speaking at a recent public meeting organised by the Arran ferry working group, stated quite clearly: ‘If a vessel can’t get into Ardrossan due to weather, it can’t get into Troon. The weather that affects Ardrossan affects Troon.’
Peel Ports’ Gary Hodgson said the reason why the service had operated successfully from Brodick to Ardrossan for more than 180 years is because it is the fastest, shortest and most convenient service linking Arran to the mainland.
He said: ‘A return journey to Brodick from Troon would be significantly longer – anything between 45 and 55 minutes longer – which could seriously curtail the number of daily sailings which local people and visitors rely on.
‘When you take into account the statutory Road Equivalent Tariff formula – which determines ticket prices – the additional distance means passengers or the taxpayer would have to pick up the extra cost for an inferior service.
‘The introduction of two new £43.5 million CalMac hybrid ferries in 2018 represents a new era in the long-standing links between Ardrossan and Arran and we are committed to ensuring we have the appropriate facilities to complement these new vessels.
Only one of these will operate on the Arran route.
Council Cullinane added: ‘A Ministerial Task Force was established earlier this year to identify and work through any issues arising from the introduction of a new 100-metre ferry vessel on the route in 2018 and ensure that the Ardrossan terminal continues to be able to support the lifeline ferry services to Arran.
‘Our studies show that the ferry terminal supports 165 jobs in the area – equivalent to £4.4 million per annum in wages – and that’s not counting other income to the area in the form of tourism and resident shopping patterns.
‘The loss of the ferry port would be nothing short of cataclysmic for our area. We do, however, remain positive that common sense will prevail and that the Arran ferry will continue to run from Ardrossan for many, many more years to come.’