Politicians back fight to keep ferry service in Ardrossan

Five years on from the battle to stop a predatory bid from Troon to take over the service, they say Ardrossan MUST remain the island's primary mainland port.

Kenneth and Patricia Gibson, the husband and wife team who represent the town at Holyrood and Westminster respectively, both say they are determined not to allow Troon to re-enter the running by the back door.

Mr Gibson, the constituency MSP for Cunninghame North, told the Herald: "Ultimately this is about improving the resilience and reliability of the Ardrossan to Brodick ferry service.

“Having been involved with the campaign to retain Ardrossan, even cancelling a holiday to attend an Ardrossan Harbour Task Force meeting on August 13, 2018 where it hung in the balance, it would be unacceptable to Patricia and I if the ferry were to move permanently to Troon, just as it would be to our Ardrossan and Arran constituents.

“Last Wednesday, September 6, I met Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop to again press the need to redevelop Ardrossan Harbour as soon as possible.

“In the meantime, to protect the ferry service, £3.6 million has been invested in Troon to ensure the Glen Sannox can sail to Brodick when it enters service next year.

"However, Troon will only operate until Ardrossan has been redeveloped.”   

Ms Gibson, who represents North Ayrshire and Arran at Westminster, said: "The privatisation of Clydeport by the Tories three decades ago means that any decisions made regarding Ardrossan Harbour must include its owners Peel Ports, who have driven a hard bargain with regard to their share of redevelopment costs.

“Negotiations took years before agreement was reached. Unfortunately, sky-rocketing construction inflation and the need for additional berth realignment mean that costs are again a bone of contention, with Peel’s view that these should fall primarily on the taxpayer, namely the Scottish Government and North Ayrshire Council.

“Peel are, nevertheless, keen like everyone else to make progress and it’s anticipated that a new business case will be completed in November.

“We are determined that work will begin on site at the earliest possible date.”

Katy Clark, Scottish Labour MSP for West Scotland, said: “We waited years for Peel Ports to agree terms so the procurement phase for work on the redevelopment of Ardrossan Harbour could start. Just weeks later, it has been paused due to costs.

“Even before this announcement, we were told completion was not expected until at least 2026. We now don’t have a date. 

“Millions of pounds have been committed to this project. The Ardrossan-Brodick service is the busiest on the entire network. Islanders, the town of Ardrossan, local supply chains and transport links rely on this crucial crossing.

“I will again be pressing the Scottish Government for progress and will seek assurances that the service is to be retained at Ardrossan on a permanent basis.”

West of Scotland Conservative MSP Jamie Greene said: "Thanks to the Herculean efforts of local press, campaigners and politicians from all colours and persuasions coming together, the campaign to keep the Arran ferry coming to Ardrossan was a well fought and rightly won effort from everyone. 

“There are natural fears that delays to the necessary harbour upgrades to accommodate Glen Sannox, when it eventually comes into service, might make Troon not just a temporary home for the ferry, but a permanent one. 

“It is vital that Ardrossan remains the primary long term port for this service, and any delay to port upgrades which put this at risk would be unforgivable in my view. The economy of Ardrossan is deeply linked to this route. 

“Let’s hope we don’t have another battle on our hands to keep that ferry coming to Ardrossan for another half a century."

When the harbour work delay was announced, transport minister Fiona Hyslop said: "I fully appreciate this will be disappointing news for the communities in Ardrossan, Arran and Campbeltown, and the frustration it will cause, but it is essential we reassess the cost of the project to ensure we deliver value for the public purse and funding partners.

“The Scottish Government remains committed to ensuring the Arran ferry service is fit for the future and we will continue to engage closely with the community throughout this process.”

Councillor Marie Burns, leader of North Ayrshire Council, said: “We remain absolutely committed to supporting and retaining the Arran ferry service from Ardrossan. We firmly believe that both the Arran and Ardrossan communities are best served by the provision of services from Ardrossan.

“We will make this case strongly during the business case review and remain confident a long-term plan can be established which will see ferry services to Arran remain and prosper in Ardrossan.”

James McSporran from Peel Ports Group said: “Like all the partners, we want to move ahead with this important development as quickly as possible. We’ll continue to work with Transport Scotland and North Ayrshire Council on the procurement of this complex and specialist engineering project.

“In the meantime, we can reassure the residents and businesses of Arran that the current terminal is very much fit for purpose and able to support their lifeline ferry service. We’ll continue to maintain it, as we always have done, to make sure this remains the case.”