GD SG 2012/2/MINS

GOUROCK – DUNOON FERRY SERVICE STEERING GROUP

NOTE OF SECOND MEETING, MONDAY 28 MAY 2012

Attendance

Alex Neil MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment

Cllr John Semple, Deputy Leader, Argyll Bute Council

Sandy McTaggart, Argyll & Bute Council

Cllr Robert Moran, Provost Inverclyde Council

Aubrey Fawcett, Inverclyde Council

Kenneth Barr, Dunoon Gourock Ferry Action Group

Jane Basford, Dunoon Gourock Ferry Action Group

Gordon Blair, Dunoon Gourock Ferry Action Group

John Paterson, Dunoon Gourock Ferry Action Group

Mick Rice, Dunoon Gourock Ferry Action Group

Robert Trybis, Dunoon Gourock Ferry Action Group

Graham Laidlaw, Transport Scotland Ferries Unit

Douglas Ellis, Transport Scotland Ferries Unit

Kathryn Ferguson, Private Secretary to Mr Neil

Trevor Hart, Marine Consultant

1. Welcome and introductions

AN welcomed everyone to the meeting and advised that, as this was a group convened by Ministers, he would follow the agenda issued by Transport Scotland but that the items raised by DGFAG would be adequately covered.

2. Minutes of Meeting GD SG 2012/1 MINS held on Monday 12 March

The minutes of the meeting held on Monday 12 March were agreed.

3. AFL Performance –Paper GD SG 2012/2/2

AN noted that AFL continues to publish their monthly performance statistics and that performance has improved as since the early days of the service. The statistics for April demonstrated that technical issues are being kept to a minimum but that the unexpected turn of extreme weather led to the loss of a day and half's sailings on April 3 and 25.

DGFAG have produced a review of the service from November 2011- April 2012 and RT disputed the figures produced by AFL. He suggested that cancellations are much higher if weather cancellations are included.

JP stated that the weather-related cancellations experienced during April were due to strong easterly winds and that the two vessels on the route were not of sufficient tonnage to cope with these winds. What was required was a larger vessel able to withstand strong winds.

Given the recent debate around the MV AliCat not being properly operated in accordance with its certification Transport Scotlandhas written to the MCA to confirm the exact position. MCA have replied confirming that AFL is in compliance with regulatory requirements.

AN advised that copies of this correspondence would be circulated to Steering Group members. Action: Transport Scotland to issue copies of the letter to the MCA and their reply (see attachment to these minutes).

4. Shoreside Infrastructure

SMcT presented the update note issued prior to the meeting. This is a joint study with Argyll & Bute Council, Transport Scotland, Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL), SPT and Inverclyde Council.

A draft report is currently with Argyll & Bute Council and river pilots have been asked for their comments given their familiarity with the waters. Once their comments have been received and considered a final report will be issued to the Council and members of the Shoreside Infrastructure Working Group. The final report will also be made available to the members of the Steering Group.

MR suggested that the cost of installing pontoon would be in the region of £1.5m at Dunoon and £5m at Gourock and that this money could be better spent on providing a passenger and vehicle service. SMcT challenged these figures as speculative and pointed out that the final report will address the cost issue.

RT enquired what problems pontoons would address as this has never been adequately answered; the report will alsoaddress this.

KB asked if Argyll and Bute Council were content that the route was now a passenger only service and representatives from Argyll & Bute Council stated that the Council had not changed its position on this.

JS stated that the new Administration on Argyll & Bute Council aspired to see the Cowal peninsula and surrounding area better connected to rest of Scotland.

5.Terms of Reference – Financial case for a future non-subsidised vehicle service – Paper GD SG 2012/2/3

AN reminded the group that the decision not to have a subsidised vehicle service was determined by a European Commission State Aid Decision and that we need to finalise the Terms of Reference so that work can commence.

Following the last meeting comments were received from all parties and they have been incorporated into the revised draft paper GD SG 2012/2/3.

RT suggested that a passenger and vehicle service on this route can be profitable and that the EC Decision indicated that the previous vehicle-carrying element of the service made a profit. In discussion it was pointed out that none of the three operators who submitted bids to run the new service had come forward with a proposal for a passenger and vehicle service.

AN requested that any final comments on the paper should be forwarded to Transport Scotland by Monday 4 June. Action: Final comments to be forwarded to Transport Scotland by Monday 4 June. Post-meeting note: comments have been received, with thanks. A further version will be circulated shortly.

6. Presentation by Trevor Hart, Marine Consultant – Advice and Analysis of the Optionsto replace the MV Ali Cat.

TH advised that his remit had been:

  • To provide advice and analysis of the options to replace the MV Ali Cat.
  • To review the list of potential vessels produced by DML
  • To identify and additional vessels
  • To consider bringing the MV Saturn/MV Coruisk onto the route.

TH provided an overview of his findings and reported that all the alternative vessels identified have disadvantages because there is no vessel currently available whose specification is fully responsive to the particular needs of the Gourock – Dunoon service for a passenger only vessel.

No alternative vessel identified has the required combination of size, speed, flag, age profile and passenger capacity to offer a significant improvement in service delivery.

It is not possible to overhaul, re-certificate and redeploy the Saturn in a matter of weeks (as had been suggested) as a passenger only vessel.

KB provided a further list of what he deemed as suitable vessels for the route and it was agreed that TH would review this list. Action: TH to review the vessel list provided by KB.

A copy of the draft report was issued to the group and AN asked that members study it so that a full discussion of an updated report(?) can take place at the next meeting of the Steering Group.

AN thanked TH for his work.

7. AOCB

MR indicated he would be interested to know what financial support would be available for any vessel identified as suitable. AN stated that it was for the Scottish Government to determine funding.

8. Date of next meeting

AN thanked everyone for attending and it was agreed that the next meeting should be towards the end of June.Action: Transport Scotland to arrange a date

Distribution

To all attendees