Bridges or tunnels might increase population but would have limited economic impact on the Clyde coast, a new report has stated.
The study of transport and connectivity in Argyll and Bute also shows that Helensburgh Central station – where services are being reduced by Scotrail – carried over 800,000 people a year, while passenger numbers on Kilcreggan’s ferry service compare well with some routes which are run by the Scottish government.
The 97-page report by Highland and Islands Enterprise (HIE) focuses on economic issues and makes only passing mentions of Helensburgh and the Rosneath peninsula, since they are not part of the HIE area.
It will come as mixed news to the team between the plans for tunnels and bridges from the Cowal peninsula, which were detailed here in May and are due to be discussed by the full meeting of Argyll and Bute Council today.
The report says that studies of other areas show that population may be increased by fixed links, but the impact on business is doubtful: “There is a generally positive relationship between fixed links and population trends. The links have helped to increase, or in some cases slow the decline in, the number of residents.
“Fixed links have generally not led to the development of significant amounts of new economic activity on the island/area itself. The main exception is growth in the visitor/tourism sector.
“In a number of cases the main economic change has been growth in outward commuting by residents. In some cases fixed links have contributed to the trend of greater centralisation of employment and services, including retail provision. Fixed links in themselves will not reverse such major economic and social changes.”
Ferries are predictably seen as key to Argyll and Bute’s development, although strangely CalMac were not among the 29 groups consulted.
The Gourock to Kilcreggan ferry, still the subject of uncertainty about whether Transport Scotland will take it over from SPT, merits a brief mention.
The report shows that it carried 26 times as many passengers per year as the Ardrossan to Campbeltown service and almost as many as the Tarbert to Portavadie service – both these routes are operated by CalMac and the responsibility of Transport Scotland.
Businesses in Cowal are said to find the Western Ferries vehicle service ‘sufficient for their needs’, undermining the case made by the council that Dunoon’s town centre vehicle ferry should be restored, although the report does concede: “For some, there were issues cited about a lack of town centre to town centre service afforded by the vehicle service. However, this was not cited by key employers consulted.
“The issue of the ferry passenger service resilience is one that most negatively impacts on commuters from Cowal to the mainland, and residents seeking to access services, such as hospital appointments.
“t can also affect those that are commuting into Dunoon, which can be to the detriment of local businesses (staff absenteeism) and service provision (e.g. education, where teachers are reliant on the service).”
Unsurprisingly, Helensburgh Central is shown as by far the busiest railway station in the area, with over 840,000 passengers per year, followed by Cardross and Craigendoran.
On the West Highland Line, Helensburgh Upper sees 15,731 passengers per year and Garelochhead 6,920.
The report makes four key recommendations – including investment in the West Highland Line to bring journey times between Oban and Glasgow down to less than three hours, perhaps with Class 158 trains.
The other key short term initiatives involve investment to roads to Oban and linking Dunoon with Colintraive and Portavadie.
It concludes: “In the longer term, and for truly transformational impacts, an aspirational package of investment to develop a new east-west route (including fixed links across the Clyde and Loch Fyne) that would offer time savings of up to an hour from Mid-Argyll and Kintyre to the Central Belt may also be worthy of further consideration.”
The full document can be downloaded here: Argyll+and+Bute+Transport+Connectivity+and+Economy+Research+-+Report
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