New hope for Cowal ferry
The plan to run a seasonal ferry service from Greenock into the heart of the National Park could be revived after a meeting of Argyll and Bute Council’s Strategic Policy Committee recommended that £15,000 of funds be allocated to it.
In April 2005, the council approved Rural Transport Grant Funding of over £90,000 for public transport improvements, which included the new ferry service. The ferry, which would have called at Blairmore and Carrick Castle, was supposed to have commenced operations last May, with Clyde Marine, who run the service between Greenock, Kilcreggan and Helensburgh, believed to be the operator.
The planned service drew widespread support from councillors and other interested parties as it would have brought visitors directly into Cowal and the National Park. But the plan hit a stumbling block before the operator had even been confirmed, when the MOD, owners of the pier at Carrick Castle, revealed that they had not given permission for the facility to be used and were, in fact, in the process of carrying out a detailed survey of the pier. At the time, a spokesman for the MOD said that the pier had not been in regular use for some time and that the survey was being carried out for safety reasons. This fact was confirmed when a Carrick Castle resident called the Observer to report that workmen had arrived at the pier and were erecting fencing around the entrance to it, removing any landward access.
But the service could get underway this year if a number of issues can be resolved. Councillor Bruce Marshall, who was one of the driving forces behind last year’s proposal, said that if a number of issues could be resolved, the ferry could even add extra calls along its planned route. He said: “It is hoped that, if funding is agreed, the ferry would sail from Greenock, calling at Blairmore and Carrick Castle, with additional stops at the MOD pier at Ardentinny and Arrochar.
“We have got agreement to call at Carrick Castle pier, but we still need to find out what kind of upgrading works would be required at Ardentinny and Arrochar. Clyde Marine Services would be the operator and their ferry would be able to carry bicycles, giving visitors access to the National Park cycleways.”
Councillor Marshall said that if upgrades to the piers proved necessary, this could be a problem, as extra money would need to be found. If that were the case, a service following the original route to Carrick Castle via Blairmore would be an option.
He added that all the communities involved were fully behind the project and it was hoped that the ferry service would begin this year.


MSP praises Innellan water protestors
Jim Mather, the SNP MSP for the Highlands and Islands, has praised the actions of Innellan residents Jim Duncan, Jim Donaldson and Gilbert Pyke who took their petition about Scottish Water to the Scottish Parliament.
Mr Mather said: “The Innellan residents who attended the Scottish Parliament with their petition have performed a very valuable public service by their action.
“Not only has their stance registered with Scottish Water but there is now awareness that local consultation must be meaningful and early to save money, stress and costly mistakes.
“The Innellan Three had very real concerns about the siting of a water treatment facility close to their homes and these were upheld by the Council. Scottish Water appealed and an Enquiry Reporter’s Unit was set up to look at the matter and the Reporter duly found in favour of the water utility.”
Mr Mather said that now they had lodged their petition and justified local and national media coverage, the Innellan trio have also proved that the Enquiry Reporter’s Unit investigation lacked rigour, balance and any real feel that they had paid proper attention to local people’s issues.
Indeed, he said, their reading of the findings of the Reporter and his interpretation of regulations make this a real cause celebre. They had exposed false economy on the part of Scottish Water, a poor consultation process and a Reporter’s Unit with an in-built propensity to find in favour of Scottish Water.
Mr Mather continued: “The Innellan trio will face an unequal struggle with Scottish Water, because that company has the deep pockets and influence that have resulted in them overturning every local objection to their proposals.
“That is deeply worrying when we consider the false economy and the problems that Scottish Water has unleashed on Argyll and can be demonstrated in locations like Inveraray, Strachur and Campbeltown.”
The MSP, who is also the Shadow Spokesman for Enterprise, said that he understood that it is now the view of the Council that they would prefer to use Public Enquiries in future when considering such contentious projects, as that would allow for a far greater local input. Indeed, he believed that they are looking too at ways of involving more community consultation earlier in the planning process. If that is an outcome from the efforts of the Innellan Three, he said, then it would be a considerable achievement.
Mr Mather concluded: “Dare we hope that Scottish Water might reflect upon their record and on the fact that ultimately it is their customers that they are supposed to serve, that quick fixes in the immediate past have set problems for them and that their work must at all times be subjected to the closest scrutiny? ”


Alan Reid calls on minister to reverse postbus axe
Following the axing by Royal Mail of three postbus services in his constituency, Liberal Democrat MP for Argyll and Bute, Alan Reid, has written to Alistair Darling, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, and called on him to instruct Royal Mail to reverse their policy of axing postbus services.
Alan Reid said: “It is scandalous that Royal Mail are taking away these postbus services. When they axed the Dunoon-Tighnabruaich service last month, they said it was because the service was too popular. Now their excuse for stopping the Dalmally-Inveraray and Lochgilphead-Inveraray services is that there are not enough passengers using them. It seems that it doesn’t matter how many passengers a postbus has – Royal Mail will find an excuse for axing it.
“Postbus services were designed for routes in remote rural areas where there are not enough passengers to justify a service bus. The passengers that do use the services are dependent on the postbus.
“The mail van will be travelling on the route anyway and it makes sense on both cost and environmental grounds for the same vehicle to carry both mail and passengers.
“It is clear from Royal Mail’s press statement that, because the Government has opened up postal services to full competition, Royal Mail are going to concentrate on mail collection and delivery and are going to walk away from other services that they provide.
“However, withdrawing these services is simply not joined-up Government. I have written to Alistair Darling, the Cabinet Minister with responsibility for Royal Mail, to protest about the removal of these services and called on him to tell Royal Mail to think again.
“I have also written to Argyll and Bute Council and asked them to get together with Royal Mail and try to find a way of saving these postbus services. It would cost the Council a lot less to subsidise a postbus service than it would a stand-alone bus service.”


Argyll News
Kintyre
Campbeltown’s library will move from the historic Burnett Building to its new home in Aqualibrium next month. The new building on Kinloch Green, which also houses a swimming pool, fitness suite, bistro and conference facilities, will open to library users from June 17.
A Campbeltown businessman has put his support behind proposals to divert flights facing a terror threat to Machrihanish. Michael Taylor, who runs Mull of Kintyre Seatours, said that the area could benefit from the plan, as training for such an contingency would be required and the media attention could attract large numbers of people to the town. Recently, two flights which received bomb threats were diverted to Prestwick Airport.
Oban
The last-known living crewman of the ‘SS Politician’, the ship which inspired Compton Mckenzies book Whiskey Galore! visited Eriskay for the first time since the ship ran aground there in February 1941. Captain Maurice Wilson was a 17-year-old deck cadet on the ship, which carried, amongst other things, 260,000 bottles of whiskey for the export market.
Two Argyll chefs have triumphed in the Scottish Chef Awards 2006, one of Scotland’s most prestigious culinary competitions. Paul Burns, of The Airds Hotel in Appin won the Gourmet Menu (over £50) Award while the Casual Dining Award was shared by Vanessa Lilof of Kilmartin House Museum Cafe.
Helensburgh
A stretch of road just outside the town had to be closed last week after around half-a-dozen accidents occurred in the space of a few hours. The A818 between the Cross Keys and Arden roundabouts was in the process of being resurfaced and police said that speeding drivers who ignored warning signs were mainly to blame.
The plan to build a new village hall in Arrochar received a boost after the council offered funding of £50,000. Argyll and Bute Council have agreed to release the money if planning permission for the hall is granted and the funding package for the project, which is expected to cost in the region of £600,000, is in place within nine months.