Helensburgh ferry bid rejected

Sharon Thompson • Published 1 Apr 2010 10:48 0 Comments

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A TRANSPORT body has refused to make changes that would bring increased ferry visits to Helensburgh - because it would mean reducing calls to Kilcreggan.

Despite a call from Helensburgh Community Council for a rise in sailings to and from the town, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) rejected the request, refusing on the basis that cutbacks in peak sailings to Kilcreggan could not be considered.

SPT received a letter from HCC urging them to revise the Helensburgh Ferry Service, citing among their concerns that students from Helensburgh were faced with having to travel into Glasgow and then onto Greenock to attend college, which was both costly and time-consuming.

Secretary of HCC, Kathleen Siddle, told how six more ferries a day call at Kilcreggan Pier than at Helensburgh, but SPT said that Helensburgh was supported by a much greater public transport network in comparison to the "relatively remote" Kilcreggan area.

In a letter to HCC, SPT said: "It may be the case that there are children who travel between Helensburgh and Greenock. To cater for those trips, it would almost certainly be necessary to reduce the number of peak sailings to and from Kilcreggan and this could not be considered."

They added that it was, in fact, less time-consuming to access Greenock by using the bus service from Helensburgh to Kilcreggan then catching the ferry.

And Councillor George Freeman has since pointed out this is in fact also a cheaper option, with the potential to save around £90 per month.

George was unsettled by some comments made at the HCC meeting last Thursday (March 25) and made it clear in a letter to its secretary.

He said: "There appeared to be no thought for the impact that any proposed changes to this service could have on very many residents on the Rosneath peninsula who use this service on a daily basis to access employment, education and health services on the south side of the River Clyde.

"There appeared to be very little sympathy for those on the south side of the river who use this service to access their employment in the Helensburgh and Lomond area, particularly within HM Naval Base Clyde at Coulport.

He said the timetable for the ferry has been developed over many years, watched closely by himself and Councillor Danny Kelly, to try to address the needs of the majority of people who need to use this vital service, adding "unfortunately most people are not aware of the impact that one small change to the timetable can have across the whole timetable."

But Kathleen Siddle hit back, saying it was "never their intention" to put others in the lurch.

READ THE FULL STORY IN THIS WEEK'S ADVERTISER

This article appeared in Helensburgh Advertiser 01 Apr 10

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