Latest news with #ChristineCowie
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Stalemate fears over Ardrossan harbour buyout plan
Campaigners fear a plan to bring Ardrossan harbour into public ownership to enable a major redevelopment has reached a stalemate. The North Ayrshire port faces an uncertain future because two new CalMac ferries ordered for the Arran route are too big to fit the existing facilities. Ministers announced earlier this year they hoped to buy the harbour from its owner Peel Ports so that the long-promised upgrade could finally progress. The Save Ardrossan Harbour campaign says it has now been told the talks have stalled and an early resolution looks unlikely. The Scottish government promised seven years ago that Ardrossan would remain the main gateway to Arran. Ministers pledged to help fund the multi-million pound upgrade required to accommodate the new CalMac ferries MV Glen Sannox and MV Glen Rosa. Government considers buying Ardrossan harbour Lifeline harbour plan in limbo, says ferries boss Since then costs have risen and the project has been left in limbo because of disagreements over how the bill should be split between the three partners; Peel Ports, North Ayrshire Council and the Scottish government. It has been estimated the redevelopment could now cost £80m. In February, Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop revealed that money had been set aside to take the harbour into public ownership in an attempt to break the logjam. But an update meeting involving government-owned ferries and ports body CMAL - which is leading the negotiations - has left the campaigners frustrated. Christine Cowie, from Save Ardrossan Harbour, said previous assurances that things were "moving at pace" now appeared to be "totally wrong". "They seem to have reached a stalemate," she told BBC Scotland News. "There seems to be a gap between what the government is prepared to pay and what Peel Ports wants to accept." After the meeting, also attended by representatives from Transport Scotland and CalMac, the campaigners wrote a letter to Peel Ports managing director Lewis McIntyre criticising the "the ongoing delay in finalising the long-awaited deal". The letter says: "We understand from CMAL that an offer has now been made, and that they are currently awaiting a response from Peel Ports. "This delay is not just administrative - it is actively harming the interests of Ardrossan, the Isle of Arran, and North Ayrshire as a whole." Peel Ports responded by issuing a statement accusing public officials of failing to negotiate with sufficient urgency. A spokesperson said: "We've entered negotiations in good faith, working with pace and energy to a timetable we believed was achievable. "Unfortunately, that pace and energy hasn't been matched by those at the negotiating table. "We appreciate that the buyers have other ferry issues to contend with but reaching a swift conclusion will require them to give this negotiation a higher priority." Sources at Peel Ports said there had been no contact with CMAL for six weeks. Ardrossan has now been without a ferry service to Arran since January, when MV Glen Sannox entered service - sailing instead from Troon - and a smaller vessel which was capable of berthing at the harbour was redeployed. The campaigners say the town has suffered economically during this period, as many Arran residents often travel there for things like car repairs or dental appointments. Sailings are due to resume in a fortnight's time when the old Arran ferry MV Caledonian Isles returns after 17 months of repairs, but that might only provide short-term relief. Residents are worried that once the second of the ships, MV Glen Rosa, is delivered - currently expected next summer - it could lose its ferry connection once again. CMAL said it was limited in what it could say during commercial negotiations but insisted it was working hard to find a resolution. "CMAL are fully committed to maintaining a robust and resilient ferry service for the Isle of Arran, and no option is off the table," it said in a statement. "However, we must also ensure we deliver the best value for the public purse." Transport Scotland has been contacted for comment. Ms Howie said the Ardrossan campaigners left the meeting with a sense that the purchase of the harbour was far from guaranteed. "At no time did any of them say we are committed to Ardrossan harbour and we're doing our best," she said. "Quite honestly, we felt like we were just a nuisance being there." When the business case for replacements ferries was drawn up in 2014 it stated that "no port modification work will be required to accommodate these vessels initial deployment". But designs put forward by bidding shipyards to meet the ambitious specifications for the dual-fuel ships were heavier than either CMAL or CalMac expected. Computer simulations on the chosen design involving CalMac captains found it would be difficult to berth such large ships at Ardrossan harbour which requires an awkward "handbrake turn". Troon, about 15 miles further south, is capable of handling them but the crossing to Arran is longer, meaning only three daily sailings are scheduled instead of five. The harbour at Ardrossan also benefits from direct train connections while at Troon there is a 15-minute walk from the port to the station. The uncertainty over which port the new liquefied natural gas (LNG) ships will sail from has also left plans to install fast refuelling stations on hold. CMAL awarded a £4.5m contract to build the facilities to a Danish firm in 2020. The dual-fuel ships instead are currently refuelled with LNG directly from road tankers, a process that takes three times longer than filling up with diesel. Ardrossan Harbour campaigners hold protest on ferry route Government considers buying Ardrossan harbour Lifeline harbour plan in limbo, says ferries boss Were Scotland's new gas-powered ferries a bad choice?
Sky News
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Protests in 'ghost town' where £400m ferries don't fit the harbour
Those unfamiliar with Scotland's so-called 'ferry fiasco' would barely believe it is a true story. The new vessels cost quadruple their original price tag, one was delivered seven years late, the other is still being built, and both are too big to fit the main harbour for their daily journeys to and from the Isle of Arran. But in this latest chapter of the scandal, the unbelievable is very much part of the script. And, as Sky News has been hearing, the consequences are brutal. "It is completely and utterly nuts," one exasperated campaigner exclaims as we stand overlooking the deserted Ardrossan Harbour on Scotland's mainland. Ardrossan, on the Ayrshire coast, has been the main port for the ferry service to and from Arran for decades. It is the quickest, most efficient route. But the 30-year-old ferry serving the islands for generations is failing and two new bespoke-designed ones were ordered, with them due to enter service from 2017. The original £100m cost ballooned to £400m, the shipyard was bought by taxpayers amid financial crisis, one vessel finally started carrying passengers in January 2025 while the other is still being built. And to add insult to injury, both are too big for Ardrossan Harbour's jetty to cope with and require an £80m upgrade. In the meantime, services are being diverted along the coast to Troon. Protest as tensions rise in 'ghost town' Ardrossan was promised it would remain the primary port for connectivity to Arran. But now the community is in limbo and is fearing for its future. Christine Cowie, from Save Ardrossan Harbour, told Sky News: "It is completely and utterly nuts. "Why anybody would commission a ferry which doesn't fit the harbour for the route it is meant for is crazy. I cannot understand it at all. "Ardrossan is like an extension of Arran. A lot of people come here to the dentist and use other businesses they don't have on the island which are losing money since the ferries have gone away." A botched design process, mismanagement and a string of costly blunders have given the project the label of one of the biggest procurement disasters in the history of Scottish devolution. People from Arran are joining Ardrossan campaigners on the mainland for a protest on Saturday. Hundreds are expected to gather as tensions boil over. The group's chairwoman Frances Gilmour said Ardrossan has become a "ghost town". She said: "It is so quiet. It is spooky. It's frankly a disgrace. Businesses are suffering. "Economically, this is the route. This is the economic route. We have the infrastructure. We just need the berths fixed." The 33-year-old MV Caledonian Isles, which has been away over the winter for extensive repairs, is expected to return to Ardrossan next month. But locals question how reliable and sustainable that vessel is. On the edge of the once bustling harbour carpark is the Bute MOT garage. Manager Scott Revans says they rely on customers from Arran previously hopping off the ferry and leaving their car for repairs at their centre. He told Sky News: "The harbour is a ghost town. We'd get the passing trade doing whatever customers need from batteries to punctures. It has had an impact on us." Could taxpayers pick up the bill? Ardrossan Harbour is owned by private company Peel Ports. The Scottish government is currently exploring buying the port, but the talks are a secret, with campaigners feeling left in the dark. No one involved in the discussions would answer questions from Sky News about when they expect to alert communities to the next steps. A spokesman for the Scottish government agency Transport Scotland said: "We absolutely understand people and communities' views in favour of retaining Ardrossan as the mainland port and remain committed to ensuring the Arran ferry service is fit for the future. "The Scottish government has instructed officials… to explore options on purchasing Ardrossan Port. "We will of course update parliament once there is progress and an outcome to report, however, it would be inappropriate to get in the way of these complex and sensitive discussions." Jim McSporran, port director at Peel Ports Clydeport, said: "Peel Ports Group welcomes the Scottish government's statement that it intends to explore the potential purchase of Ardrossan Harbour. "Regardless of the outcome of this process, our willingness to invest in the harbour remains steadfast. We take comfort that the port continues to operate this lifeline route and that it remains the port of choice for the people and businesses of Arran and Ardrossan."
Sky News
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Protests in 'ghost town' where £400m ships don't fit the harbour
Those unfamiliar with Scotland's so-called 'ferry fiasco' would barely believe it is a true story. The new vessels cost quadruple their original price tag, one was delivered seven years late, the other is still being built, and both are too big to fit the main harbour for their daily journeys to and from the Isle of Arran. But in this latest chapter of the scandal, the unbelievable is very much part of the script. And, as Sky News has been hearing, the consequences are brutal. "It is completely and utterly nuts," one exasperated campaigner exclaims as we stand overlooking the deserted Ardrossan Harbour on Scotland's mainland. Ardrossan, on the Ayrshire coast, has been the main port for the ferry service to and from Arran for decades. It is the quickest, most efficient route. But the 30-year-old ferry serving the islands for generations is failing and two new bespoke-designed ones were ordered, with them due to enter service from 2017. The original £100m cost ballooned to £400m, the shipyard was bought by taxpayers amid financial crisis, one vessel finally started carrying passengers in January 2025 while the other is still being built. And to add insult to injury, both are too big for Ardrossan Harbour's jetty to cope with and require an £80m upgrade. In the meantime, services are being diverted along the coast to Troon. Protest as tensions rise in 'ghost town' Ardrossan was promised it would remain the primary port for connectivity to Arran. But now the community is in limbo and is fearing for its future. Christine Cowie, from Save Ardrossan Harbour, told Sky News: "It is completely and utterly nuts. "Why anybody would commission a ferry which doesn't fit the harbour for the route it is meant for is crazy. I cannot understand it at all. "Ardrossan is like an extension of Arran. A lot of people come here to the dentist and use other businesses they don't have on the island which are losing money since the ferries have gone away." A botched design process, mismanagement and a string of costly blunders have given the project the label of one of the biggest procurement disasters in the history of Scottish devolution. People from Arran are joining Ardrossan campaigners on the mainland for a protest on Saturday. Hundreds are expected to gather as tensions boil over. The group's chairwoman Frances Gilmour said Ardrossan has become a "ghost town". She said: "It is so quiet. It is spooky. It's frankly a disgrace. Businesses are suffering. "Economically, this is the route. This is the economic route. We have the infrastructure. We just need the berths fixed." The 33-year-old MV Caledonian Isles, which has been away over the winter for extensive repairs, is expected to return to Ardrossan next month. But locals question how reliable and sustainable that vessel is. On the edge of the once bustling harbour carpark is the Bute MOT garage. Manager Scott Revans says they rely on customers from Arran previously hopping off the ferry and leaving their car for repairs at their centre. He told Sky News: "The harbour is a ghost town. We'd get the passing trade doing whatever customers need from batteries to punctures. It has had an impact on us." Could taxpayers pick up the bill? Ardrossan Harbour is owned by private company Peel Ports. The Scottish government is currently exploring buying the port, but the talks are a secret, with campaigners feeling left in the dark. No one involved in the discussions would answer questions from Sky News about when they expect to alert communities to the next steps. A spokesman for the Scottish government agency Transport Scotland said: "We absolutely understand people and communities' views in favour of retaining Ardrossan as the mainland port and remain committed to ensuring the Arran ferry service is fit for the future. "The Scottish government has instructed officials… to explore options on purchasing Ardrossan Port. "We will of course update parliament once there is progress and an outcome to report, however, it would be inappropriate to get in the way of these complex and sensitive discussions." Jim McSporran, port director at Peel Ports Clydeport, said: "Peel Ports Group welcomes the Scottish government's statement that it intends to explore the potential purchase of Ardrossan Harbour. "Regardless of the outcome of this process, our willingness to invest in the harbour remains steadfast. We take comfort that the port continues to operate this lifeline route and that it remains the port of choice for the people and businesses of Arran and Ardrossan."
Sky News
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Protests in coastal 'ghost town' where £400m ships don't fit the harbour
Those unfamiliar with Scotland's so-called 'ferry fiasco' would barely believe it is a true story. The new vessels cost quadruple their original price tag, one was delivered seven years late, the other is still being built, and both are too big to fit the main harbour for their daily journeys to and from the Isle of Arran. But in this latest chapter of the scandal, the unbelievable is very much part of the script. And, as Sky News has been hearing, the consequences are brutal. "It is completely and utterly nuts," one exasperated campaigner exclaims as we stand overlooking the deserted Ardrossan Harbour on Scotland's mainland. Ardrossan, on the Ayrshire coast, has been the main port for the ferry service to and from Arran for decades. It is the quickest, most efficient route. But the 30-year-old ferry serving the islands for generations is failing and two new bespoke-designed ones were ordered, with them due to enter service from 2017. The original £100m cost ballooned to £400m, the shipyard was bought by taxpayers amid financial crisis, one vessel finally started carrying passengers in January 2025 while the other is still being built. And to add insult to injury, both are too big for Ardrossan Harbour's jetty to cope with and require an £80m upgrade. In the meantime, services are being diverted along the coast to Troon. Protest as tensions rise in 'ghost town' Ardrossan was promised it would remain the primary port for connectivity to Arran. But now the community is in limbo and is fearing for its future. Christine Cowie, from Save Ardrossan Harbour, told Sky News: "It is completely and utterly nuts. "Why anybody would commission a ferry which doesn't fit the harbour for the route it is meant for is crazy. I cannot understand it at all. "Ardrossan is like an extension of Arran. A lot of people come here to the dentist and use other businesses they don't have on the island which are losing money since the ferries have gone away." A botched design process, mismanagement and a string of costly blunders have given the project the label of one of the biggest procurement disasters in the history of Scottish devolution. People from Arran are joining Ardrossan campaigners on the mainland for a protest on Saturday. Hundreds are expected to gather as tensions boil over. The group's chairwoman Frances Gilmour said Ardrossan has become a "ghost town". She said: "It is so quiet. It is spooky. It's frankly a disgrace. Businesses are suffering. "Economically, this is the route. This is the economic route. We have the infrastructure. We just need the berths fixed." The 33-year-old MV Caledonian Isles, which has been away over the winter for extensive repairs, is expected to return to Ardrossan next month. But locals question how reliable and sustainable that vessel is. On the edge of the once bustling harbour carpark is the Bute MOT garage. Manager Scott Revans says they rely on customers from Arran previously hopping off the ferry and leaving their car for repairs at their centre. He told Sky News: "The harbour is a ghost town. We'd get the passing trade doing whatever customers need from batteries to punctures. It has had an impact on us." Could taxpayers pick up the bill? Ardrossan Harbour is owned by private company Peel Ports. The Scottish government is currently exploring buying the port, but the talks are a secret, with campaigners feeling left in the dark. No one involved in the discussions would answer questions from Sky News about when they expect to alert communities to the next steps. A spokesman for the Scottish government agency Transport Scotland said: "We absolutely understand people and communities' views in favour of retaining Ardrossan as the mainland port and remain committed to ensuring the Arran ferry service is fit for the future. "The Scottish government has instructed officials… to explore options on purchasing Ardrossan Port. "We will of course update parliament once there is progress and an outcome to report, however, it would be inappropriate to get in the way of these complex and sensitive discussions." Jim McSporran, port director at Peel Ports Clydeport, said: "Peel Ports Group welcomes the Scottish government's statement that it intends to explore the potential purchase of Ardrossan Harbour. "Regardless of the outcome of this process, our willingness to invest in the harbour remains steadfast. We take comfort that the port continues to operate this lifeline route and that it remains the port of choice for the people and businesses of Arran and Ardrossan."
