The Highland Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee members recently approved (10 Nov 2022) the Outline Business Case Final Report (OBC) for investment in two ferries and shoreside infrastructure for the Corran Ferry service.
This was followed by a pre-application consultation event at Ardgour Memorial Hall, Clovullin which gave stakeholders the chance to consider and comment on the proposals. Consultation materials were made available after the event on www.affriclimited.co.uk/news/Consultations
Further consultation events will take place as the design and the project develops and the funding position becomes clearer.
It should be noted that there is also an aspiration for a fixed link across the Corran Narrows.
In recognition of this, the Highland Council commissioned a High-Level Outline Feasibility Study of a Corran Fixed Link and fed this into the STPR2 process which provides recommendations on future transport investment for the next 20 years.
However, a fixed link at the Corran Narrows was not considered as a project within STPR2, and even if a fixed link was to be approved in the short-term, the design, consenting and construction timelines mean that it remains a long-term aspiration.
Therefore, it is important to stress that the pre application proposal does not include the development of a fixed link, hence two new ferries and shoreside infrastructure is essential to ensure reliability and resilience in the immediate and medium term whilst the case continues to be made for a longer-term fixed link solution.
It is also worth noting that the ferry solution developed through the outline business case has future-proofed against a fixed link as far as reasonably possible, by ensuring that the vessels can be easily cascaded and redeployed elsewhere.
Due to a weather-related interruption to the ferry service during the Ardgour event, a repeat exhibition has been scheduled to enable those previously unable to attend to view the exhibition.
The project team and display material will be at the Fort William High Life Highland Library between 4pm and 7pm on 1st December 2022 to share information and answer any questions on the subject.
