Council leader makes pledge
‘We will deliver our investment plans in full’
The council leader responsible for Ardrossan harbour this week pledged that Arran will get the ferry service it deserves.
North Ayrshire Council leader Joe Cullinane made the promise after the government’s long-awaited STAG report favoured retaining Ardrossan as the mainland port for the Arran ferry over the bid to take the service to Troon. In a statement to The Arran Banner the Labour leader said: ‘I want to make this pledge to your readers. Just as it is my respon- sibility as council leader to defend the interests of Ardrossan on this issue, and we have done that throughout our campaign, it also my responsibility to ensure that Arran has the best ferry service possible.
‘That is why we have put a lot of effort into developing our investment proposals for Ardrossan harbour. Should the minister confirm that the ferry is remaining in Ardrossan in the coming weeks let me assure your readers that we will deliver our investment plans in full and ensure Arran has the ferry service it deserves.’
That involves creating a new £15 million integrated Maritime Hub at Ardrossan to be delivered by 2018.
It was on Monday that the findings of the all important report on the mainland berthing options for the Arran ferry service were published by islands and transport minister Humza Yousaf.
The report has been produced following a study which looked at the two options objectively, taking into account a broad range of factors including the impact on users in terms of travel time, fares, and connectivity, as well as reliability and the costs to the public purse. A copy of the report has been shared with all relevant parties and they now have Monday April 3 to respond.
Mr Yousaf said: ‘My officials at Transport Scotland commissioned this report, following consultation with all relevant parties and stakeholders.
‘We have looked at the options under four broad pillars: connectivity, reliability, overall cost to the public purse and socio-economic considerations.
‘At this stage, the report supports the view that the mainland port for the ferry serving Brodick and Campbeltown should remain at Ardrossan. However, before any decision is made, ministers wish to offer an opportunity for representations in light of the report.
‘This invitation is being issued to Associated British Ports at Troon, Peel Ports at Ardrossan, Argyll & Bute Council, North Ayrshire Council and South Ayrshire Council.
‘The Scottish Government is committed to supporting our lifeline ferry links. This study will help support careful and robust decision-making towards ensuring that the Arran ferry service is fit for purpose, whilst also getting the best value for the public purse.’
Mr Cullinane added: ‘Whilst a final decision has not yet been made, the minister in his letter to me has made it clear that at this stage the evidence ‘supports the view that the ferry should remain in Ardrossan’.
‘This is something that I obviously welcome but North Ayrshire Council, just like the other interest- ed parties, have been given time to comment on the report and we will be doing so to reinforce our case.’
Arran MSP Kenneth Gibson said: ‘In this fully comprehensive report it is clear that the independent consultants agree that the case for Ardrossan to be the lifeline ferry port of choice for Arran is compelling.
‘Given the evidence, I fully expect that when Mr Yousaf makes his announcement it will be in favour of Ardrossan and investment in new port facilities there.’ North Ayrshire and Arran MP Patricia Gibson said: ‘I very much welcome this report’s findings, confirming, as it does, the view of the overwhelming majority of those living in Ardrossan and Brodick, that the current route is the best for all concerned.
‘What so many of us have argued throughout this process has now been independently verified. I look forward to the announcement from the transport minister and improvements to Ardrossan’s harbour.’
SNP Arran’s candidate at the forthcoming local elections, Ellen McMaster, said she was ‘delighted, but not surprised’ by the findings of the report.
She said: ‘It’s a win-win situation all round for Arran. We have a fantastic multi-million pound new Brodick ferry terminal nearing completion, a brand new ferry due on the route next year, and we can now see further millions being invested by Peel Ports and North Ayrshire Council to deliver improved harbour and terminal facilities at Ardrossan. The future looks bright indeed.’
Report
A spokesman for ABP at Troon said they had received a copy of the report and were reviewing it with a view to responding formally in due course.
He said: ‘We stand by our view that the Port of Troon offers the only genuine prospect of improving the reliability of this lifeline ferry service. On initial review we are genuinely astounded that CalMac’s skippers have not been consulted as part of this exercise. We very much hope that the Scottish government will look again at our proposal.’