Our ferry’s out of order? Just call in the Royal Navy...
TAKING only five minutes, it is one of the shortest and calmest ferry crossings in Scotland.
But the journey from one side of Loch Linnhe to the other may be a job for the Royal Navy.
A Highland Council report has suggested that a military landing craft could be a possible solution the next time the Corran Ferry in Inverness-shire is out of action.
The ferry, which is operated by the council, was out of commission for several days last month after a breakdown.
The boat had drifted and hit rocks near a slipway and the usual back-up ferry, the Maid of Glencoul, was unavailable because it was having a refit.
Although the usual ferry boat was able to return to service following repairs and an inspection, the council officer’s report states that the breakdown cost the local authority £39,000 in loss of income and repairs.
It adds that the Royal Navy ‘has been mentioned’ in considering alternative replacement vessels.
It continued: ‘Landing craft would appear to be the type of vessel they may have, but to transport an equivalent number of cars they would require more than one.
‘This could be trialled, but they tend to have ramps at the bows, so may not be able to sit end-on to the slip in the tide race.’
At the time of the breakdown, Highland Council said it had done ‘everything possible’ to restore the service, and had put information on its website and on Twitter. It also asked Traffic Scotland to warn people of the problems with the ferry with messages on its electronic signs on the A82 trunk road, but road works and warnings of heavy rain had to be given priority.
The report to Tuesday’s Lochaber committee praised the
‘They’d require more than one’
‘meticulous’ and ‘diligent’ work of the ferry’s staff in keeping the incidence of breakdowns on the ferry at a low level.
The Corran Ferry allows access to and from the communities of Ardgour, Morvern and Ardnamur- chan via a narrow stretch of Loch Linnhe. On the other side of the loch is the A82 and, nine miles north, Fort William.
The ferry is also used by people and businesses on Mull, who first travel to the mainland on the Fishnish-Lochaline ferry.
The Corran Ferry and FishnishLochaline services also offer tourists an alternative to the Oban to Mull ferry.
A Royal Navy spokesman said yesterday: ‘We were not aware of the proposals to use landing craft and are not aware of any approaches for assistance from Highland Council.’
But the spokesman added: ‘If such an approach were to be made, then the request would of course be looked at.’