New passenger ferry for Dunoon?
– Study to look at Cowal-Glasgow link
Argyll and Bute Council - in conjunction with other local authorities - has commissioned a study to investigate the feasibility of a ‘waterbus’ type service, joining Clyde towns and other communities with Glasgow city centre.
The study, which will cost £100,000, was commissioned by Glasgow City Council on behalf of Argyll and Bute, Inverclyde, Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire councils.
Transport experts the MVA Consultancy, together with the Transport Research Institute, Saltire Management, Natural Capital and Warman Consult, will explore how the River Clyde might be used for public transport services similar to other networks deployed in London, Sydney and New York.
This would see the development of a commuter service linking Glasgow and Clyde estuary towns, as well as providing additional tourist networks to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, Loch Long, Loch Goil and Rothesay.
The consultants will look at how such services operate around the world and investigate the likely demand, commercial viability and potential for integration with existing transport networks. They will also provide recommendations for feasible service patterns, vessel specifications and assess the economic viability of the services.
The study will review both new and existing pier infrastructure, as well as considering the relationship between possible waterbus services and the existing ferry routes in the area, including Gourock to Dunoon.
MVA project director Neill Birch said: “This scheme offers potential to enhance the use of the River Clyde and open up public transport linkages between locations which are currently poor or non-existent.
“In particular, cross-river public transport movements would be significantly boosted by the introduction of waterbus services.
“Opportunities for interchange with other modes of transport are also being explored to ensure waterbus services integrate with existing transport networks.”
As well as providing additional transport opportunities for commuters, such a service could open up extensive tourism possibilities, linking very appropriately with the National Park marine gateway and waterfront development proposals.
Argyll and Bute Council’s Spokesperson for Transport and Infrastructure, Cllr Duncan MacIntyre, told the Observer: “The River Clyde was formerly used extensively as a transport conduit - that is no longer the case.
“This project presses all the right buttons - like other European cities, more effective use would be made of the river, it would increase access and links between Glasgow and the local communities, and it could also play a part in reducing the number of cars on the road.
“It would complement the existing Clyde ferry services, and we are very much looking forward to the consultant’s report.”
Cllr Bruce Marshall - chair of the Bute and Cowal Area Committee - said: “This is very positive news.
“I am extremely enthusiastic about marine transport on the Clyde and I am very happy that this study is going ahead.
“A fast crossing, using hydrofoils or fast catamarans, would be particularly beneficial, and there are craft out there which can deliver this.
“The advantages for Dunoon and Cowal would be considerable.”
The consultants are due to report their findings by the end of March.


Strachur GP questions contract decision
If NHS Highland thought that the arguments about Strachur’s Out of Hours provision were over, it had not anticipated the determination of the village’s GP.
At a lively meeting in Strachur Memorial Hall last November, NHS Highland representatives announced that the contract to provide medical cover to the Strachur practice area outwith surgery hours had been awarded to Tighnabruaich surgery, some 23 miles (usually about 40 minutes drive as much of the road is single-track) away from Strachur, despite a bid being submitted by Dr Coull of Strachur’s own medical practice.
The contract began last month and NHS Highland has set up the Strachur Out of Hours Working Group, which includes members of the Strachur community as well as health professionals, to advise and monitor the service.
Dr Coull requested, under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act, details of how the decision had been made and he received the minutes of the health board meeting which decided the outcome. The three viable options had been scored and costed and are shown in the table on page 2.
On the Strachur Medical Practice website (www.strachurmedical.com) Dr Coull says: “Without in any way criticising the Tighnabruaich GPs, I find this a very strange decision. I felt that the bid I put in to continue to provide out of hours cover was a good one. We would have had a local service, provided mostly by GPs who know the patients, and able to provide a rapid response to medical emergencies.
“I feel the Strachur bid has been marked down unfairly in several areas: firstly, the response time. Being based in the middle of the practice area, our response times could not be faster. In fact, our response times to category red calls (999 level emergencies) are comparable to 999 ambulance response time targets of 20 minutes, which far exceed the contractual requirement to respond to emergencies within one hour. This is particularly important in view of the problems with ambulance response times in the Strachur area. I would have expected a score of 5/5.
“As for sustainability, again it is difficult to understand why we scored so low for sustainability and why Tighnabruaich should score higher. However, the minutes of the meeting show that Tighnabruaich had been asked to guarantee a three year contract (the minutes state: “Letter received confirming 3 year contract support if approved”). I was not approached to see if I would be willing to support a three year contract. This gave an unfair advantage to the Tighnabruaich bid. My expected score, 3/5.
“As for public acceptability, there is no justification for such a low score. It basically says that our patients would be just as happy to be covered from Tighnabruaich as from Strachur. I can’t imagine how anyone could imagine this to be the case. Expected score 4-5/5.
“With the ambulance cover and response the score was the same for all of the options. However, the Strachur bid included an offer to respond to 999 calls in the area. This significantly improves the ambulance 999 response times, as a GP based in the practice area can respond to 999 emergencies faster than ambulances based outside the practice area. Expected score 4/5.
“So, I would have expected the Strachur bid to have scored a total of 18/25 or 19/25.”
We raised Dr Coull’s concerns with NHS Highland and its spokesperson said: “The process of awarding the Strachur out of hours contract was carried out in an open and transparent manner. Members of the public have access to this information by making a request to the Locality Manager’s Office, Dunoon Hospital.
“As part of the process NHS Highland also set up the Strachur Out of Hours Working Group which has strong representation from members of the Strachur community, to assist and monitor the implementation of the new out of hours service.
“The new Argyll and Bute Community Health Partnership General Manager, who also chairs the Strachur Out of Hours Working Group, will be evaluating the process to ensure that the awarding of this contract was robust.
“While NHS Highland is of course interested in Dr Coull’s perspective, we would stress that the exercise was conducted in the interests of both patients and the local community.”
Councillor Ron Simon, representing Cowal ward, said: “I am always suspicious of scoring systems as they almost always produce a preferred option which is also coincidentally the cheapest. This is a system which tends to fail when working up service provision or projects in rural areas unless some form of weighting is applied which takes account of the special circumstances of that rurality. I note Doctor Coull’s comments regarding the scoring process however we are where we are with this and the important thing now is for the people in Strachur to progress a solution which everyone understands and has confidence in. It appeared that there had been a lack of meaningful consultation with Strachur patients during the earlier part of the process which meant residents felt they had been presented with a fait accomplis.
“In response to the views of residents NHS Highland is now working with the community through the Out of Hours Working Group to design a service which is both practicable and meets the community aspirations. Wherever the service is ultimately delivered from, it is important that Strachur patients see no erosion in the level of service they receive, and to that end, I will look forward to seeing the outcomes from their work.”


Gales, Sun, Snow, Rain- Welcome to Argyll last week
The Argyll weather has been a major topic of conversation - yet again - over the past week, as wet, windy weather turned to torrential rain and gales on Friday, before snow moved in on Sunday evening, closely followed by icy conditions on Tuesday.
Not quite four seasons in one day perhaps, but we have certainly experienced most of the seasons over the past few weeks.
From warm spring weather verging on the summer-like three or four weeks ago, back to the expected wet, mild, windy conditions then straight into winter once again with a cold snap.
As snow arrived in the area on Monday, chaos ensued on some roads as around two to three inches fell. Many motorists were left wondering why such a small quantity of snow was allowed to lie on main routes as their vehicles fishtailed and struggled for traction in hard packed snow and ice on routes such as the A815 between Sandbank and Dunoon.
For a spell on Monday afternoon, the Sandbank high road witnessed scenes of winter mayhem, as cars struggled and failed to negotiate the gradient between Loch Loskin and Sandbank Industrial Estate. Motorists were left to guide traffic as the snow fell before the police arrived to take control.
A council spokesperson said: “In the circumstances of very localised showers of snow and hail, it is very difficult to be in exactly the right place at the right time and any prior treatments are easily swamped by snow.
“However all vehicles were mobilized when reports were received of hazards reforming on the roads and we concentrated our available vehicles on the affected areas, which included the Sandbank high road.
“Unfortunately the difficulties here were compounded by cars and other vehicles blocking the carriageway, which restricted the efficient use of the snow ploughs and gritters.”
Despite the overnight treatment with grit of all major routes, snow still managed to accumulate, which begs the question...why?
Some locals have queried the amount of salt contained in the grit used by the council, given that the treatment seems to have had little effect in many areas.
Argyll and Bute Council said: “There has been no change to the rock salt used by the council to treat roads affected during winter weather for several years.
“The rock salt type was changed in 2004 but by size - not composition.”
As the Dunoon Observer and Argyllshire Standard went to press, the ‘usual’ mild, damp weather had been restored, with more wet weather forecast to follow over the coming weekend.


DIRTY WEEKEND IN STRACHUR
Organisers have now confirmed that the 2008 Swamp Soccer New World Championships will be staged at Garrell, by Strachur on June 20, 21 and 22.
The competition will see sides from Scandinavia, Australia and Europe, as well as teams from Britain, competing for a unique copper football trophy provided by Highland Spirit.
The rules are similar to football - apart from the fact that players are up to their knees in mud - but with exceptions as listed below. Players must be over the age of 17. There are three types of teams, each having their own league - all male teams, all female teams and mixed teams (mixed teams must have at least two females playing at any given time).
Each team consists of six players (one goalkeeper and five outfield players). The number of substitutes (and substitutions made during any match) is unlimited. The playing time for each game is 24 minutes in total (12 minutes each way), and the playing area is slightly larger than a 5-a-side football pitch.
The offside rule does not apply. Kick-offs, throw-ins, corner kicks, free kicks and penalties are taken by using the hands to drop the ball onto a chosen foot. With the exception of penalties, all are indirect.
Finally, players in each team must wear the same colour of tops - and fancy dress is allowed.
Previously played at Hunter’s Quay Holiday Village, the competition has had to move because more space is required than was available at the original venue.
Accommodation for the expected 1,500 competitors in tents and teepees, as well as toilets, showers, refreshments and entertainment will be available on-site.
Swamp Soccer organiser Stewart Miller said of the 2008 tournament: “We expect up to 100 teams representing 20 different countries this year.
Media interest is expected to exceed last years’s, which was valued at £15 million worldwide”
Quite what the good people of Strachur will make of the event is, as yet, unknown - although we do understand that a number of teams from the village plan to enter the competition, and the spirit of the event. They, at least, will have the option of going home to a warm bed after a hard day wallowing in mud.
Entry forms and further details are available from www.swampsoccer.co.uk.