Passenger-only service

Sir, It is good to see that the ferry committee has come up with the idea of a second ferry to operate year round from Lochranza.

But, in true form, it is missing the key point. What is required is a second ferry which privileges foot over vehicle passengers and which can be relied upon in almost all weather conditions so that important appointments can be kept. The new terminal is not suitable for foot passengers, since it asks too much of the encumbered and handicapped in terms of effort and travel distance.

As I have suggested before in your columns, what is really required is a dedicated passenger-only ferry operating from Brodick. An expanded Lochranza to Tarbert service would require foot passengers to be dependent upon buses for the long journey to Glasgow and even car drivers would be faced with a daunting drive in winter in bad weather.

The means to provide a passenger-friendly service already exists at Brodick: the old pier is still in fair condition and would be entirely suitable for a smaller ship of a size similar to the Hebridean Isles. Such a ship could easily slip into any number of ports along the mainland and be largely immune to the bad weather which defeats the Caledonian Isles and doubtless will similarly affect the new Glen Sannox at Ardrossan.

Existing walking distances are short and on a level and the existing not very old terminal could continue to function as at present.

That would be a true lifeline service.

Yours, Ian Ferguson Lamlash