A major Scottish ferry port has received a £200,000 upgrade in a bid to improve services to the Isle of Arran.
Associated British Ports (ABP) has completed work to improve hydraulic lifting cylinders at Troon’s East Pier Linkspan.
The repairs will allow passengers and vehicles to board ferries safely and efficiently.
ABP worked alongside contracted Laing Marine to complete the refurbishment within a seven day window without disruption to ferry services, which take passengers and cargo to Brodick on the Isle of Arran.
Bryan Davies, Divisional Port Manager at ABP said: “This project demonstrates ABP’s commitment to maintaining critical infrastructure and supporting the communities that rely on our ports. The successful delivery of the linkspan upgrade is a testament to the professionalism of our team and partners.
“We look forward to continuing to provide a high-quality service with minimal disruption and consistently low rates of ferry cancellations from the mainland to the Isle of Arran. This is especially important during key moments for the island like the Arran Food Festival and the Brodick Highland Games, which bring more visitors to the island.”
In recent months, the ferry link at Troon has played a critical role in transporting passengers to Arran; as the future of the nearby Ardrossan Port remains up in the air.
In early October, Scotland's ferries and harbours agency said a price had been agreed in principle to purchase the harbour from its private owner.
CMAL told campaigners that an agreement had been reached with Peel Ports, sparking hopes that the harbour could soon be brought into public ownership.
The government wants to buy the harbour because new CalMac ferries on the Arran route are too large to berth safely.
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Last year, Troon handled 90,000 passengers, 31,000 cars, and 1,200 commercial vehicles, with a cancellation rate of just 2%.
This most recent upgrade builds upon a previous £6 million investment in the East Pier Ferry Terminal, which consisted of a new terminal building and car parking facilities.
Troon is now fully equipped to accommodate the Glen Rosa and Glen Sannox ferries, ABP noted.
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