THE battle for control of a lucrative ferry route has plumbed new depths after a rival port installed a 24-hour webcam to illustrate the stillness of its waters.
Associated British Ports (APB), which is behind proposals to move the Isle of Arran sea link from North Ayrshire to well-heeled Troon, has said the footage will “prove once and for all its superior reliability over Ardrossan”.
In a combative statement, ABP said “seeing is believing”, adding that the technology would “demonstrate its superior all-weather berthing to anyone who wants to look”.
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It is the latest broadside in a bitter struggle between the two ports to run voyages to Arran which erupted last year when ABP vowed to invest £8million redeveloping the mothballed ferry dock in Troon, South Ayrshire, which recently lost a service to Northern Ireland.
A 100-metre ship is currently being built on the Clyde and it will be for Transport minister Humza Yousaf to decide whether to base it at Troon or Ardrossan by April.
APB has claimed the P&O service from Troon runs at a rate of just five cancellations a year, compared with the CalMac-run Ardrossan to Brodick service which has been axed over 250 times.
The publicly-owned ferry operator Cal Mac has now been urged to release details of the cancellations.
The leader of North Ayrshire Council, Labour Councillor Joe Cullinane, said Cal Mac needed to explain how and when decisions were taken to withdraw sailings in response to weather forecasts, as well as the timing of the refit of main vessel on the crossing.
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Civic leaders in North Ayrshire have insisted the ferry remains a vital job-creator and tourist draw, supporting 165 jobs in the area, while the owner of the Ardrossan terminal, Clydeport, has since pledged to invest millions in the port.
Sources opposed to the move have described comparisons between the level of cancellations as “disingenuous”, claiming the larger vessel to Ireland was better able to withstand stormy conditions and that there were around 5000 sailings to Arran as opposed to 700 to and from Troon, with many of the cancellations due to technical problems.
Stuart Cresswell, ABP’s Troon manager, said. “We have nothing to hide and Troon’s record on reliability speaks for itself. Seeing is believing, so we aim to prove this with a webcam clearly showing how Troon would remain operational in conditions where Ardrossan brings down the shutters.
“This aspect of the debate should now be put to bed once and for all: Troon is more reliable and it’s time for the spin to stop.”
Councillor Cullinane said: “North Ayrshire Council is committed to delivering a reliable ferry service for Arran residents and our plans for Ardrossan Harbour will fulfil that commitment, but we need to ensure CalMac are not making operational decisions that cause sailings to be cancelled unnecessarily.”
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A CalMac spokesman said: "Any decision to cancel during periods of extreme weather is done solely on the basis of the safety of our passengers, crews and vessels. We fully understand the importance of our services to island communities so that decision is never taken lightly.”
To see the view from the Troon webcam click here.
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