Plan to allow port to use Scots ferries may be scrapped

A Scottish port may not ever be used to take much delayed and over-budget ferries, despite the green light being given for upgrade works by the current First Minister – six years ago.

The Herald previously revealed that the costs of the project to upgrade the mainland port of what is one of Scotland's busiest ferry routes, which is in limbo, has doubled.

Business minister Ivan McKee insisted in September 2022 that the harbour and port infrastructure at Ardrossan would be ready to take the two lifeline ferries when they finally set sail after being built at the nationalised Ferguson Marine shipyard in Inverclyde.

It was Humza Yousaf, the current First Minister, who was then transport minister, who gave the green light for the major upgrade at Ardrossan in April 2018, nearly three years after the contracts were signed to have Inverclyde shipyard firm Ferguson Marine build the ferries.

It followed a public commitment from the Scottish Government that Ardrossan would remain Arran's mainland port, in the face of a rival bid from Troon.

But the Ardrossan harbour debacle has been described as big a farce as the ferry fiasco which has stained the Scottish Government's reputation.

The Scottish Government-owned ferry operator CalMac has already been planning to use Troon rather than Ardrossan for the two ferries that will serve Arran. That was when it was hoped that the first of the vessels would be ready for passengers in the Spring of last year.

Scottish Government sources have confirmed that the full business case for the project remains incomplete and that there is even uncertainty over the project costs. Consequently, the project has still to be put out to tender.

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It has now emerged that the Scottish Government has not made any decision over whether Ardrossan would remain the mainland port for the Arran service – placing serious question marks over the upgrade project.

Sam Bourne, chairman of the Arran Ferry Action Group said: "Given the significant increase in cost and the massive delay already to the project, there is a chance the Ardrossan upgrade may never happen.

"It is baffling that the new vessels are years late, and the works to prepare the mainland harbour for the vessels has not even been agreed."

It is understood there have been issues over how the cost – which in 2022 was estimated at £40m – would be divided between the Scottish Government quango Transport Scotland, the harbour owner Peel Ports and North Ayrshire Council.

And the Ardrossan Steering Group was told by Transport Scotland officials that, as of May, the estimated cost is thought to have doubled which it is said was "reflective of the market conditions within the construction industry".

However, there have since been further discussions amongst funding partners over the required project scope – which could set the costs even higher.

According to one letter from the Scottish Government to the Ardrossan Harbour Task Force, made up of the potential funding partners and co-ordinated by the Scottish Government's Transport Scotland agency, concerns about the integrity of the quay walls have been heightened following recent structural failures to parts.

The walls were expected to provide support to an LNG tank, which would be used to help fuel the vessels.

Scottish Conservatives' shadow transport minister Graham Simpson, who was told of the questions over Ardrossan said it clearly means that Troon will be the likely long-term base, with users saying it would mean travelling times rising from 55 minutes to an hour and 20 minutes and therefore a predicted 20% cut in sailings.

He said: "It could be that there may be an agreement struck and funding agreed for the necessary upgrades but the government has had years to sort this out and has failed so far.

"I am sure Humza Yousaf will be pressed on this."

Fiona Hyslop, the transport minister, in a letter to the task force, said that the outcome of the business case was expected in February.

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Landside facilities including terminal building, car parking and other infrastructure estimated to cost in the region of £12m were expected to be ready this year.

An indicative project programme was presented to the ministerial task force early last year which then indicated that construction was expected to begin this spring with completion by spring 2026 – too late for either of the ferries.

Both ferries were due online in the first half of 2018, with one intitially to serve Arran and the other to serve the Skye triangle routes to North Uist and Harris, but are at least six years late, with costs expected to be quadruple the original £97m contract. It has been confirmed that both are now to serve Arran.

The second of the two ferries Glen Rosa was meant to be delivered to CalMac in August 2018, but that is currently scheduled for May 2025.  

The vessel's sister ship, Glen Sannox, was launched by Nicola Sturgeon nearly seven years ago and is due for delivery in the spring.

But the dates of arrival have been constantly in a state of flux as their construction has been plagued by design challenges, cost overruns and delays.

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Meanwhile, Peel Ports has told Ms Hyslop in a letter that they had invested over £2m of funds to progress the project and yet "we are no further forward than we were six years ago".

The letter from Lewis McIntyre, interim chief financial officer said: "In that time we have dealt with six transport ministers. While this is often an inevitable part of political life, the changes in leadership have themselves hindered a resolution.

"We believe that the people and businesses of Arran and Ardrossan should not have to wait any longer for meaningful action. The time to conclude the endless tinkering with the project scope has long since passed."