AUDITORS have been asked to look at a troubled Clyde ferry service which has been restricted to carrying only 12 passengers after it emerged the crew were not adequately trained.

Audit Scotland confirmed it had asked accountancy firm KPMG to look into the Kilcreggan Ferry service between the Rosneath peninsula and Inverclyde, to see whether a full investigation would be warranted.

The restrictions were imposed this week by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency after it discovered the boat's skipper, who has been working for operator Clydelink since April, did not have one of the certificates required to carry more than 12 passengers.

In a letter to The Herald today, George Freeman, leader of the group of independent councillors at Argyll and Bute Council, said Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, which subsidises the service, had not given an "acceptable answer" to their inquiries.

He wrote: "As stated in the minutes of the SPT Operations Committee dated January 20, 2012, this contract was awarded by SPT to Clydelink, 'based on the provision of a new build 60-seat vessel'.

"Given this decision, the question must be asked why we have a 16-year-old vessel on the route currently restricted to 12 passengers?

"Unfortunately SPT fail to give an acceptable answer to this and many other questions that have been raised with them on this matter."

A spokesman for Audit Scotland confirmed KPMG, external auditor for SPT, had been asked to establish whether there were grounds for a full investigation.