THE FINDINGS of the STAG appraisal into the Campbeltown to Ballycastle ferry are only weeks away from publication.
Councillor Rory Colville updated the members of the Campbeltown Community Council at their last meeting that the report will go to the Scottish Ministers before the end of August.
‘We should have a decision by the end of August.
‘By that time the Scottish Ministers should make a final decision about putting the ferry out to tender,’ said Councillor Colville.
He added that the general feeling was that a ferry service would need a more modern vessel than the MV Claymore which was on the route before. ‘There are various options between Ballycastle, and Campbeltown, Troon and Ardrossan,’ said Councillor Colville.
Community council secretary Mary Turner said she felt that not enough consideration had been given to the potential use of the ferry by agriculture.
She said that a third of the lambs from Kintyre went via Stirling to Northern Ireland and that Kintyre farmers could make use of Northern Ireland abattoirs.
‘There was a lot of talk about a link between here and Ayrshire,’ said Councillor Colville and he added that this had the potential to become a recommendation in the review of Scottish ferries
