Outspoken Arran Labour councillor, Charles Currie, has accused Cabinet member Tony Gurney of being “economical with the truth” in response to his questions on the island ferry service.
Cllr Currie said: “In 2020, North Ayrshire Council commissioned the Fraser of Allander Institute to assess the impact of the ferry service on Arran’s economy.
“FAI estimated that the ferry service contributes £170,000 every day to the island’s economy.
“Given the appalling level of service the island has experienced since the FAI report was published, does the leader have an estimate of how much value has been lost to the Arran economy due to reduction in the ferry services capacity and the regular cancellation of sailings.”
Cllr Gurney replied: “It is not possible to determine the precise extent of economic loss to the Arran economy due to cancelled ferry services.
“Within the Fraser of Allander Institute study published in September 2020 referred to it was estimated that between August and December 2019 a single ferry journey on average contributes circa £13,200 to Arran’s economy.
“For the last 100 crossings there was one cancellation so the Arran service has been 99 per cent reliable. I have heard from my friends on the island that the continual talking down of the service doesn’t actually help the economy.”
Councillor Currie later said it was time for the Scottish Government to spend money on upgrading Ardrossan Harbour to help secure a better ferry service.
The Arran councillor told the Local Democacy Reporting Service: “I feel Cllr Gurney was economical with the truth when he said there was only one ferry disruption in the last 100 the other week.
“Bill Calderwood of Arran Community Council said there were 19 cancellations the previous week from when I asked the questions and 69 diversions or cancellations for October. I will talk to the council Chief Executive about this.
“We want the service to succeed but it is not supplying even the basic minimums. Schools, the NHS and haulage companies all rely on it.
“I believe fares should be frozen because of the disruptions on Arran.”
Cllr Gurney told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he stood by the ferry service figures he quoted at the meeting.
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