A PRIVATE ferry company has condemned a Scottish Government study for ignoring vital commercial information before concluding it would be feasible for a rival service to be established.
Western Ferries' managing director Gordon Ross said the feasibility report for a new Gourock-Dunoon car service, which would compete with his firm's services between Hunter's Quay and McInroy Point, was based on flawed data.
Transport Scotland research indicated two car ferries running between Gourock and Dunoon piers, receiving a subsidy for foot passengers only, could claim 56% of the market.
It says this could be done within European regulations, and even in the face of berthing fees of £4 million.
However, the report also stresses the purpose of this study was "to explore the feasibility rather than the commercial attractiveness of a vehicle ferry".
Mr Ross, whose firm has a monopoly of vehicular traffic on the ferry route, said he challenged the analysis as it did not include information from other potential ferry operators who were contacted during the investigation stage of this study.
A spokeswoman for the agency said: "We will engage with potential operators and with the European Commission, who maintain a keen interest in ensuring we continue to work within the parameters they have set."
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