Forbes calls for urgent Corran Ferry solution

MSPs are piling pressure on The Highland Council and the Scottish Government to come up with an emergency plan to solve the Corran Ferry "crisis".

 

The relief vessel on Scotland’s busiest single ferry service across Loch Linnhe, the MV Maid of Glencoul, broke down at the start of the Easter holidays, while the main vessel, the MV Corran, has been getting repaired since October, with no return date in sight.

 

The operator, The Highland Council, said on Saturday: “There will be no service for several weeks. At present the Maid of Glencoul is to be towed to a dry dock for repairs. The MV Corran may be back in operation first.”

 

Kate Forbes, the SNP MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, said: "I am aware of the hugely frustrating situation at the Corran Ferry.

 

"With MV Corran out of service and the Maid of Glen Coul broken down, residents and businesses have no reasonable alternative to travel across the Corran Narrows.

 

"This is affecting all travelling requirements, including medical appointments, commuting to work and delivering basic supplies.

 

"I have agreed to meet with Highland Council to urgently consider all alternatives so that this situation is rectified as a matter of emergency."

 

Ms Forbes, the former finance minister, returned to the backbenches, and maternity leave with her young family, after an intense campaign for the SNP leadership, when she was narrowly defeated by the new First Minister Humza Yousaf.

 

Meanwhile, Conservative Highlands and Islands MSP Donald Cameron said the crisis engulfing the Corran Ferry service should be the catalyst to find a long-term transport solution for the area.

 

Mr Cameron said the vessel breakdown exposed the vulnerability of the situation, and that a permanent solution ought to be more seriously considered than ever.

 

The possibility of either a bridge or a tunnel between the Ardnamurchan peninsula and Corran has been a discussion point for decades, but no firm proposals have ever been brought forward.

 

And while there would be a number of financial and logistical challenges for either solution, Mr Cameron said the patience of local people had now run out.

 

He urged the Scottish Government and Highland Council to consider an alternative solution which many believe is long overdue.

 

Mr Cameron said: “There has always been talk of either a bridge or a tunnel as a long-term solution for the area.

 

“The Corran ferry is a highly valued and appreciated part of local infrastructure, but this latest crisis has exposed just how devastating it can be when it doesn’t function.

 

“The detour now required is a huge headache for businesses, a hammer blow for tourism, and a severe inconvenience for those who live in the area.

 

“It’s also potentially an issue for emergency services who do use the Corran ferry in the event of an accident, and now face a lengthy detour on poor quality roads.

 

“No-one is pretending that it’s straightforward to build a bridge or a tunnel – there would be a number of major hurdles to overcome.

 

“But that said, a proper solution is long overdue, and people in the area are wondering if other parts of the world can benefit from the use of infrastructure like this, why can’t they?

 

“This latest ferry crisis risks being the most severe the Scottish Government has endured of late, and it should be the catalyst for change.

 

“While the ferry is out of action, SNP ministers and the council should be getting round the table to start taking seriously the idea of a long-term alternative.”

 

Minister for Transport Kevin Stewart said: “The operation of transport links across the Corran Narrows is the responsibility of the Highland Council. Any decisions on maintenance, upgrades, or options to replace ferries would be a matter for them.

 

"I would be happy to visit Lochaber in due course, to learn more about the Council’s plans for the Corran Narrows.

 

”The previous Deputy First Minister also announced in the budget process that the Scottish Government would provide full revenue funding to Councils who run their own ferry services. Officials are in discussions with the Highland Council about these costs.”