Ferry chaos hits the wrong note with community choir
● Protest staged on pier after service problems
0 Choir members and frustrated commuters came together on Kilcreggan pier for a tuneful protest over continuing ferry woes Brassed off ferry commuters have turned to song in a bid to bring problems with their regular service to an end.
A community choir in Kilcreggan, in Argyll and Bute, took to their local pier to record a musical protesting at their plight.
They are demanding action over the MV Island Princess, which provides the 12-minute link between the Rosneath peninsula and Greenock, but has been plagued by problems this year.
The Peninsula Choir, which meets weekly in the Cove Burgh Hall, has recorded a new song to the tune of Song of the Clyde, which was made famous by Kenneth Mckellar.
The Kilcreggan Ferry has been taken out of action on a regular basis by operators Clydelink, who run it on behalf of Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT), due to engine damage, a lack of authorised crew and failed inspections by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
Replacement bus journeys are said to take more than an hour when services are withdrawn, with the most recent suspension last month lasting almost two weeks.
Local campaigners and politicians want government agency Transport Scotland to take over the running of the service from SPT, which has proposed putting a new tender out for the route from July.
The Kilcreggan Ferry is described on the SPT website as “the best way to see the stunning Clyde estuary and is a convenient link for those who wish to explore the Rosneath peninsula”.
However the protest song includes the lines: “So many officials, no-one takes the rap, for having a service, haphazard or crap.”
Project co-ordinator John Mcmurtrie said: “It was great seeing so many people on the pier to support this and raise awareness of the importance of our ferry service.
“The idea came when, instead of holding numerous meetings along with around 40 elected members, whether communitycouncillors,councillors and MSPS, all coming from a different perspective, it became evident that nothing was likely to be achieved, besides waiting for the end of the contract.”
A spokesman for Transport Scotland said: “The responsibility for the Gourock-kilcreggan ferry service lies with SPT, but we’re well aware of the recent significant disruption and understand the frustrations of the passengers that rely on this link.
“Clearly this situation is not acceptable, and the song itself underlines the strength of local feeling towards the service.
“Transport minister Humza Yousaf has raised these concerns in meetings with the chair of SPT, Martin Bartos.
“Transport Scotland and SPT are working constructively together towards a mutual agreement on the formal terms of a transfer of responsibility. This is a complex process given the amount of information being considered.”
A spokeswoman for SPT said: “We’re aware of the issues with the Kilcreggan Ferry and we’re trying to work through them with the contractor.”