A FERRY crossing that has carried passengers for more than 30 years is facing the axe following a dramatic slump in use.

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), which operates the Kilcreggan ferry connecting Helensburgh to Gourock, has recommended withdrawing one of the stops from April in a bid to save nearly £200,000 in operating costs.

The move would leave Helensburgh without a ferry connection across the Clyde for the first time since the Victorian era and was condemned by politicians yesterday who said it would leave residents facing a lengthy car journey across the Erskine Bridge and lead to a reduction in visitors.

A report published yesterday, which is due to be voted on at a meeting of SPT's operations committee on Friday, recommended introducing a smaller vessel to operate between Gourock and Kilcreggan.

The ferry service has lost one-fifth of its passengers over the past five years, and is expected to carry 60,000 people across the Clyde in this financial year.

Jonathan Findlay, chairman of SPT, said it was "simply not viable" to continue to operate the service as far as Helensburgh at a cost of nearly £370,000 a year.

Clyde Marine introduced a new 90-seater vessel, the MV Seabus, on the route in 2007 following investment of £1.5 million by SPT.

However, the design of the Seabus meant it had difficulty accessing Helensburgh Pier at low tide, leaving passengers to face up to 16 scheduled cancellations a month last year.