Press Release

10 May 2012

GOVERNMENT MUST TAKE CONTROL OF FAILING FERRY SERVICE

Local MSP Duncan McNeil has called on the Scottish Government to take control of the Gorouck to Kilcreggan ferry service.

He raised the issue of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) operating a hidden agenda to close the ferry service altogether as he quizzed the Minister for Transport in Parliament.

The Greenock and Inverclyde MSP also branded SPT’s handling of the service as farcical.

Duncan McNeil said;

“The troubles facing the Gorouck to Kilcreggan Ferry Crossing where entirely predictable and are now becoming farcical.”

“SPT’s response to the concerns of passengers is completely unacceptable and have led me to conclude that SPT are not merely seeking efficiencies to the public purse but operating a hidden agenda of ending the service altogether and blaming the passengers for the outcome.”

“Passengers have come to believe that the only way to preserve the service is for the government to take direct responsibility for it.”

“It is time that the government seriously discussed with SPT about transferring the responsibility for the running of the service”