Greene urges quick action following Ardrossan Harbour sale

West Scotland Liberal Democrat MSP Jamie Greene has called for no further delays in restoring ferry services to Arran and Ardrossan after an announcement by the Scottish Government that the sale of Ardrossan Harbour is to proceed.

The harbour is currently owned by Peel Ports and is set to be bought by the Scottish Government before receiving extensive renovations to make it fit for purpose.

Mr Greene stressed that the repairs should begin as soon as possible, show value for money, and be closely supervised, so that the Ardrossan to Arran route can return to full capacity.

He also called for the Island Business Resilience Fund (IBRF) to be extended to firms in Ardrossan, to help deal with the consequences of further delays.

Ardrossan has been without a consistent and reliable ferry service since the Irish berth shut over two years ago, with both the new MV Glen Sannox and the specifically chartered MV Alfred forced to sail from Troon instead.

Mr Greene also played a key role in calling for the expansion of the Scottish Government’s ferries compensation scheme, urging that it be extended to include coastal communities whose businesses rely on the essential footfall they bring.

Jamie Greene MSP said:

“The SNP has already taken far too long to get a grip on this essential part of West Scotland’s transport infrastructure; there must be no further delays.

“The new owner CMAL should get on with immediate remedial work to get the port back into action; it can’t wait another election cycle to suddenly become a priority to ministers again.

“People here know that Ardrossan Harbour must receive the support it needs to be redeveloped at speed and ensuring value for money, otherwise it risks becoming just another part of the SNP’s waterlogged ferries fiasco.”