Pontoons for ferries floated again, plus new vessel for Kilcreggan – and £5.4m linkspan may not be used

The idea of a pontoon for ferries at Dunoon has been revived again – despite the project being previously cloaked in secrecy before being shelved as too expensive.

And Kilcreggan’s pier could also be redeveloped, with a new vessel planned, an Argyll and Bute Council report has revealed.

Eight years ago new pontoons were suggested by local and national politicians and civil servants as a solution to Kilcreggan’s chaotic ferry service after SPT made the disastrous decision to hand the contract to Clydelink.

But the £20,000 feasibility study was quietly shelved after consultants said the cost would be £0.5m for Kilcreggan, £1.45m for Dunoon and £3.64m for Gourock, including a new breakwater.

Paid for by six public bodies, the study has only ever been published by this website – and that followed a five-month battle using Freedom of Information legislation.

A report on ‘future plans for the Dunoon to Gourock ferry service’ will be discussed on Tuesday by the council’s Bute and Cowal area committee.

It focusses on the Dunoon service, but there is also mention of Kilcreggan – the subject has not appeared on a Helensburgh and Lomond area committee agenda however, and is not on that committee’s most recent workplan.

Two new boats for Dunoon and one for Kilcreggan

The report by executive director Kirsty Flanagan states that the Gourock Harbour Infrastructure & Vessels Project group is led by Transport Scotland and has representatives from CMAL and CalMac, as well as Argyll and Bute and Inverclyde councils.

“The project aims to achieve delivery of new vessels along with harbour infrastructure upgrades at Gourock and, where appropriate, Dunoon and Kilcreggan,” the report adds.

“Whilst the group will consider upgrades at both Dunoon and Kilcreggan to suit berthing requirements, the council, as asset owner, will be responsible for all related decisions and delivery of any proposed schemes.

“Transport Scotland has stated that delivery of new vessels will be dependent upon the type of design, including size and classification. Delivery, for the size of vessel anticipated on the route, would typically be estimated at up to 36 months from award of contract.

“Two new vessels will be required to service the Gourock to Dunoon route and a third vessel for the Gourock to Kilcreggan route.

“The project team will consider whole life costing when assessing options for these future vessels. Resilience, standardised specification and network flexibility will be key factors in the design process.”

The council owns a linkspan in Dunoon which was built in 2005 at a cost of £5.4m – it was intended for roll-on roll-off vehicle transport but has never been used for this, since the town centre ferry service has been passenger-only since before the linkspan was completed.

And the new report makes it look possible that this linkspan will not be used at all in future.

“The type of berthing structure for Dunoon is currently subject to design workshops to ensure that the new vessel design will not be constrained by existing shore-side infrastructure,” it adds.

“The berthing arrangement may take the form of a linkspan, similar to existing, or alternatively, a separate pontoon with ramps and steps.

“Note: These are broad options at this stage which require wind and weather modelling prior to initiating outline design work.

“Council plans to re-develop Dunoon, and possibly Kilcreggan, must remain on hold until TS and CMAL can advise of their plans for the new ferry vessel and berthing infrastructure. In the meantime, council officers will continue to liaise with TS, CMAL and CalMac.”

At the committee’s previous meeting, in March, councillors highlighted that the project group’s meetings were confidential.

Minutes of the meeting read: “The committee believes that proper consultation can only take place on a transparent basis; and agreed to write to Transport Scotland calling on them, in the interests of transparency, to remove the confidentiality condition on meetings of the Gourock – Dunoon Infrastructure and Vessels Project – Reference Group except for information which is restricted due to provisions contained within the Local Government Act (Scotland) 1973.”