A short-term contract for the Kilcreggan ferry will be advertised soon, it is expected to be confirmed tomorrow.
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport currently subsidies the Rosneath Peninsula’s link with Gourock, and the contract is due to expire in less than five months.
But it was revealed here last month that after years of campaigning Transport Minister Humza Yousaf had agreed the service could be taken over by Transport Scotland.
A report to tomorrow’s meeting of SPT’s operations committee confirmed the Kilcreggan ferry would be included with the Dunoon service, the contract for which does not expire until next July.
It states: “Transport Scotland has confirmed to SPT and other parties that it is now willing to assume responsibility for the service and has indicated that the most appropriate way forward is to incorporate the Kilcreggan service into the new Gourock – Dunoon ferry contract, which is due to commence in July 2017 and has published a formal procurement notice to that effect.
“A procurement exercise is required in order to ensure continuation of the Gourock – Kilcreggan service until such time as transfer is arranged and a timescale finalised for its incorporation into the Dunoon contract.
“Recognising that Transport Scotland may have a number of matters to conclude with the successful tenderer of the Dunoon service in this regard, it is proposed that tenders be invited for a short-term contract for Gourock – Kilcreggan, which would permit time for this to happen, with provision for its extension should it prove necessary to secure the future of the service and ensure that passengers will have continued transport.
The report adds that Transport Scotland has started to gather data on the Kilcreggan service, including passenger numbers, travel patterns, costs and community requirements, in co junction with SPT, Inverclyde Council and Argyll and Bute Council.
SPT say the main people using the ferry are workers at the Faslane and Coulport military bases, ‘along with commuters who elect to travel to Gourock to connect with the train service to Glasgow’.
The report adds that ‘there is lighter passenger traffic outwith these peak-time demands’ but makes no mention of use by other groups such as students travelling to further education colleges.
It was revealed here last week that four companies are in the running for the new Dunoon to Gourock ferry contract, which is estimated to be worth £50m
Well done to Nick Davies and his team