Auditors have taken the first step in investigating the ferry service between Kilcreggan and Gourock, it was confirmed this week.
MSP Stuart McMillan called for Audit Scotland to investigate in a debate at Holyrood earlier this month.
And the Herald today (Friday) confirmed that SPT’s external auditors, KPMG, had been asked by Audit Scotland to establish whether there were grounds for a full investigation.
In a letter to the Herald, Councillor George Freeman writes: “As stated in the minutes of the SPT Operations Committee dated January 20, 2012, this contract was awarded by SPT to Clydelink, ‘based on the provision of a new build 60-seat vessel’.
“Given this decision, the question must be asked why we have a 16-year-old vessel on the route currently restricted to 12 passengers?”
Late yesterday operators Clydelink, who took over the service on April 1, lifted the 12-passengers restriction which had been imposed by the MCA on Monday.
The MCA have confirmed that Clydelink now have two skippers who meet its requirements for being a master of a class 5 passenger vessel in the Gourock to Kilcreggan route.
Mark Aikman of Clydelink was quoted in a Herald website story yesterday dismissing passengers’ concerns by saying : “It’s not famine in Ethiopia.”
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