Peninsula ferry routes should be treated in the same way as those serving island communities, council officials have said.
And communities should have more control of ferry timetables, Argyll and Bute Council has said in its formal comment on a national consultation.
The comments were made in an official response to the Scottish Government’s Public Consultation for Islands Connectivity Plan, a consultation for which closes tomorrow.
The council put forward three key principles:
Future ferry services must be promoted on the basis they are affordable, reliable, and sustainable and offer a high-quality service that integrates with other transport links.
- Communities should have a greater say in the development of timetables.
- Lifeline services should be funded with a clear identification of future needs and future-proofed to ensure that any increase in fares does not adversely impact the economy.
- Funding of transport infrastructure and services was said to be a key barrier, with a warning that ‘without adequate funding, we will see a continued contraction of rural public transport services.
And the importance of ferries for peninsulas is specifically stressed: “The issue of peninsula communities should also be addressed as although connected to the mainland these communities can still suffer from isolation.
“Argyll and Bute is characterised by numerous peninsulas separated by deep sea lochs.
“We feel that a designation is needed for peninsula access along the same lines as islands that conveys the lifeline nature of ferry services to these areas in supporting and sustaining social and economic well-being.”
The online consultation closes tomorrow (Monday May 6).
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