A simple solution to improve the reliability of Kilcreggan’s ferry is to be formally suggested as plans for £9.4m new harbour seem to be stalled.
Three new ferries and infrastructure – with a total cost of £70m – are proposed for the ‘Gourock, Dunoon, Kilcreggan triangle’ service.
But it is now six months since a consultation on plans to spend £9.4m on a new pontoon and breakwater in Kilcreggan was closed, and a meeting on Tuesday night heard that the entire project was still ‘paused’.
Cove and Kilcreggan Commmunity Council heard that Scott Reid, Argyll and Bute’s marine operations manager, had said Transport Scotland was still waiting for the needs-based assessment which could be used to justify the spending on new ferries and infrastructure.
Community councillor Nick Davies said: ” Until that process has happened nothing is going to happen with Kilcreggan pier or indeed the replacement ferries.
“We won’t get replacement ferries until funding is agreed, but we are still left with this issue of extreme and low tides, when the ferry apparently can’t work the gangway, and I cannot believe that some simple fix such as steps cannot be arranged.
“I see this as a fairly inexpensive project.”
And vice-convener Ali Mills said: “Maybe now in the current circumstances, after everything that has been happening, it may be worth going back and saying ‘this is a much better solution’, and they might look at and say actually yes.”
Figures presented to the Scottish Parliament’s net zero, energy and transport committee earlier this year show that since CalMac took over the Kilcreggan route in 2020 6.4% of sailings have been cancelled.
In February a way to adapt the current pier, which is B-listed and 125 years old, as suggested on this website – it would involve a movable structure so that objections from Historic Environment Scotland would be unlikely.
A movable platform could be built to accommodate the gangway, while a fender at the front of the pier would be replaced or extended with a steel plate or timber section, so that ferries could tie up higher than currently.
To take account of rising sea levels the platform would need to be no more than one metre high, fitted with steps, handrails on both sides and lockable casters – potentially made of galvanised steel.
The community council agreed to contact Argyll and Bute with a suggested design.
Has anyone considered using hovercraft for the route? Could also be used to link Helensburgh with the southside of the river. Only need slipways, not piers and low tides shouldn’t be a problem.