A TASK force looking at protecting the future of Ardrossan Harbour is finally set to meet this week almost a year on from its last gathering.
It was confirmed last month talks with harbour owner Peel Ports regarding a possible buyout by the Scottish Government are now underway after years of stalling, but campaigners have been frustrated ever since with the "silence" that has followed.
But it has been confirmed the Ardrossan Harbour Task Force will meet on Thursday, with activists hoping a "detailed timetable" of works will emerge.
The historic Ardrossan to Arran ferry route has been non-existent since mid-January this year because the new MV Glen Sannox is too large to berth there, while repair works are continuing on the ageing MV Caledonian Isles.
The Caley Isles was due to return to service by the end of April but this has now been pushed back to the end of May.
The Glen Sannox and MV Alfred have both been operating from Troon since January.
The Ardrossan Harbour Project – to develop the port and make it suitable for the Glen Sannox and upcoming Glen Rosa – was given the go-ahead way back in 2018 by then transport minister Humza Yousaf, but the project was paused in 2023 and a fresh business case has never emerged.
A protest was held at Troon Harbour at the weekend by fearful campaigners who desperately want to see the route to Ardrossan to Brodick route continue given it is embedded in the lives of communities on either side of the Firth of Clyde.
On the meeting of the task force, the Save Ardrossan Harbour group posted: "After nearly eight weeks of silence following the buyout announcement, there's finally movement—news has emerged that the elusive harbour task force is set to meet this week.
"We can only hope this signals the long-overdue release of a detailed timetable for the much-needed works at Ardrossan Harbour."
With Ardrossan to Brodick having been an established ferry route for hundreds of years, the change has opened up a Pandora’s Box of issues for residents and businesses in Arran and Ardrossan.
There are fears Ardrossan could suffer a similar fate to Stranraer, which in 2011 lost the ferry to Northern Ireland after more than 150 years. The local economy quickly took a significant downturn after Stena Line moved up the coast to Cairnryan.
The ferry to and from Troon takes about 20 minutes longer than the journey to and from Ardrossan, so there are fewer return sailings from there than there were from Ardrossan.
When foot passengers get to Troon, the train station is a good 20 to 25 minute walk from the ferry port so, combined with fewer sailings, it is practically impossible for them to take a day trip to Glasgow – something which is fairly simple from Ardrossan, which has a train station right at the harbour.
People on Arran are also having difficulties getting to medical appointments at Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock, which is easily reachable by bus from Ardrossan but much more challenging to get to from Troon.
The task force is co-chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop and Councillor Marie Burns of North Ayrshire Council.
According to the Transport Scotland website, the group is supposed to meet every six months with its remit "to improve the operational effectiveness of Ardrossan Harbour in supporting the lifeline ferry services and the new vessel on the Arran route".
