Arran Ferry Committee questions and answers with Ardrossan Task Force - March 2021

Project Update and Engagement

Ensuring the views of the community are heard and understood is an important part of this project.

In December 2020 a project update was published which outlined activities undertaken since October 2018. 

The Ardrossan Task Force in February 2021 announced the decision to operate ferry services from Troon during the Ardrossan construction period following a public survey.

Further public consultations will be undertaken in relation to Service Timetables and continuity plans, as well as Landside Infrastructure. Details of these will be published in the coming months.

How much will this cost and who is paying what?

The project at its current stage of development is estimated to cost between £35-£40million. The final cost of the project will not be known until the tender and procurement process has been undertaken and a contractor appointed.

Peel Ports Group and North Ayrshire Council have committed funds to the project, along with external funding partners; with a significant contribution being sought from the Scottish Government

Who is in charge of the programme overall?

The development works at Ardrossan are being overseen by a Ministerial Task Force which brings together Transport Scotland, Peel Ports Group Ltd, North Ayrshire Council (NAC), CalMac Ferries Ltd (CFL), Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL), the Arran Ferry Committee and Kenneth Gibson MSP.

How long will the work take?

The marine and landside infrastructure works are expected to be completed within 21 months of construction commencing.  

During construction works the main Arran berth at Ardrossan will be closed. The ferry service operations will be relocated to Troon for the period  of the construction phase.

Is it still the plan to start next year?

The project is currently in the planning and design phase, with the marine infrastructure Option 2 – being progressed to exemplar design for tender stage.

We are currently working towards the Arran berth infrastructure works commencing in Summer 2022, with completion of the works expected early 2024. However these dates are subject to change taking account of tender/procurement and contract award stages. 

A more detailed programme will be available once a contractor is appointed.

Why is it taking so long to agree a design when the new vessel should have already been in service?

The planning and design phase and approval process of any project can be both lengthy and complex depending on the nature of the project.

In 2018 the outline design for the marine upgrade was identified. To provide assurance to Ministers and stakeholders a review of the design was undertaken, and this was formally signed off by the Ministerial Task Force on 23 April 2019.

North Ayrshire Council and Peel Ports Group have appointed a Lead Consultant Team which includes a Master planner and Architect for the landside design works.

Infrastructure work-streams are currently on-going.

All workstreams continue to be checked against the scope of the project. This is to ensure they are in-line with operational requirements for the service and port infrastructure prior to being progressed to the approvals and tender stage.

Will the work be complete before the MV Glen Sannox is introduced and, if so, where will it berth?

On 25 August 2020 the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture, Fiona Hyslop confirmed that the MV Glen Sannox is expected to be delivered between April to June 2022, and deployed to the Ardrossan to Brodick route.

We are currently working towards completion of the Arran berth works - expected in 2024 which is post vessel delivery.

During the construction phase at Ardrossan MV Glen Sannox will operate from Troon once she is deployed on the route.

We remain fully supportive of the efforts of the yard in delivering these new vessels to the Clyde and Hebrides Network.

Will this work reduce the frequency of unscheduled overnight berthing at Brodick?

The proposed works to the Arran Berth are required to ensure the vessel won’t overhang the berth as this results in poor mooring arrangement and fender support. Therefore, it can be expected that the vessel will be able to remain on the new berth to a greater extent than present.

As such, the frequency of unscheduled overnight berthing is expected to reduce under the works being proposed.

However, the port of Ardrossan is exposed to swell from the south west – west south west directions and large swell from those directions can enter the harbour area. As the effect of swell cannot be fully mitigated there may still be a requirement for unscheduled overnight berthing at Brodick.

We have heard the MV Glen Sannox won’t fit into the Irish berth. Is this true? If true, why, when larger boats have used it historically?

The works to the Arran Berth should reduce the frequency of use of the Irish Berth once completed. This however, is subject to weather as the prevailing wind directions could impact this.

The MV Glen Sannox will fit into the Irish Berth however it would be difficult to deliver a safe and resilient service to the Irish Berth given the frequency of service and turnaround times. This is because the ‘entrance’ to the Irish Berth, between Winton and Montgomery piers, is narrow and outwith safe berthing margins for the size of the MV Glen Sannox. Berthing is already much slower when the MV Caledonian Isles uses this berth which is largely due to the vessels size. It is also not suitable for prevailing wind conditions (existing vessels only use the Irish Berth in Easterly or light winds). Previous larger vessels operating to the Irish Berth only had a poor reliability record and even a grounding, whilst operating a much less frequent timetable than CFL.

Will there be an effective passenger ramp provided at Troon to avoid everything going through car deck? Including effective mobility impaired access?

We are continuing to progress with the service continuity plan, which includes passengers access facilities being available to ensure an optimal service can be provided from Troon during the upgrade work.

Will the new building be a copy of Brodick? If two storeys, will there be an escalator?

The design of the new terminal building will be informed by public consultation. However, we can confirm that the building will take cognisance of the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and Health & Safety Regulations in regard to passenger facilities. 

It is envisaged that the building will be two storeys high with a passenger access system connecting the upper floor to the vessel. Feedback received from communities regarding the Brodick terminal, for example: passenger’s access and egress, passenger experience and stairs/lifts is being considered in the design of the Ardrossan terminal building.

Local communities will have the opportunity to inform the draft designs for the terminal building  via engagement sessions whereby comments and feedback will be fully considered prior to a final design being developed.

Will the PAS be the same as Brodick?

The design of the Passenger Access System at Ardrossan will be the responsibility of CMAL in collaboration with PPG and NAC. The final design has yet to be finalised, however the design of the PAS will be shorter that the PAS currently installed at Brodick, estimated to be around 50metres.  

The Steering Group has taken cognisance of the communities’ feedback regarding the Brodick PAS and has factored this into the design criteria, which will then be an integral part of the overall design for the landside infrastructure and integration with the terminal building.

Various reports suggest that the skippers have had difficulty berthing on the simulator. Is this true and, if so, why proceed?

No, this is untrue. The reason for undertaking the simulations was to test the operational limits of the vessel against proposed infrastructure upgrade options, without the risk to actual vessels, infrastructure and people. 

Planned sea trials will offer CalMac Masters and crew the opportunity to experience first-hand how the vessel performs prior to being deployed on the route.

Is LNG safe? Will it actually be more efficient and environmentally friendly?

The LNG facility will be built in line with industry and safety requirements.

The project seeks to minimise the carbon footprint where practicable particularly through the introduction of LNG bunkering facilities.

The upgrade includes the installation of LNG bunkering facilities which will be the first for a ferry service in the UK. LNG has a reduced GHG emission compared to MGO of c.20-25%.

LNG also has significant local air quality benefits with shore-powering providing for overnight powering of vessels, with significant local noise and air quality improvements for residents and crew.

We are currently engaging with all parties on the LNG facility including the Health & Safety Executive.

Recent press suggests we will need to operate a different timetable - what will this mean?

A Passenger Engagement Survey was undertaken in November 2019 by CalMac on the Ardrossan route, and this will help form part of the service continuity plans during the construction period which are currently being developed.

The Passenger Engagement Survey Report has been published on the TS webpage.

For the Troon to Brodick/Campbeltown service, a different timetable will need to be operated due to the extended passage time (20 minutes each way) and turnaround time. CalMac will undertake public consultation regarding service continuity, timetables and transport connectivity in the coming months to better understand service users’ needs and ensure these are considered.

Will sailings still connect with rail and road?

Connectivity for onward travel and integration with other modes is a key consideration within the current development of the service continuity plan. For example – shuttle buses which will be provided

Will there still be 10 sailings per day?

Our aim is to provide as close to the current timetable where possible when operating out of Troon during the construction phase.

No final decision has been undertaken regarding timetables however the timetables will recognise the demand on the service.

Further engagement sessions will be organised to allow the communities to comment on any proposals prior to a final plan being implemented.

What about parking etc during the works? Is the car park going to be expanded upgraded? It is currently a bottleneck with passengers queueing for space, waiting for cars to leave before they get parked!

The Steering Group is currently progressing a temporary works plan at Troon which includes parking.

How will the work impact the service to Campbeltown and which route will get priority if revised timetable causes conflict?

The service continuity plan and the development of timetables will aim to ensure there is no conflict between services.  All timetables that will be put in place during the construction period will aim to keep disruption and changes to a minimum.

Will connectivity eventually be improved with better bus services including the Ardrossan harbour in their route?

Transport Scotland and CalMac continue to work collaboratively to improve integrated public transport connectivity with ferry services at each of the ports, Ardrossan and Brodick.

One of the objectives from Peel Ports and North Ayrshire Councils commitment and investment to the Ardrossan project is to improve accessibility and the quality and reliability of ferry services supported by excellent multi-modal transport interchanges that offer travel choice for all users.

NAC continues to engage with the Regional Transport Partnership, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and local operators to improve active and sustainable travel opportunities.

NAC’s investment will help grow the economy, increase employment, maximise links and support the regeneration of North Ayrshire.

Are there contingency plans for delays to works?

Yes, contingency plans for disruptions and any delays to the infrastructure works are currently being developed as part of the service continuity planning.

Throughout the period of the construction works at Ardrossan and Troon being used as the mainland port for the service.

Gourock may also be considered as an alternative mainland berth if Troon is unavailable.

On completion, can Ardrossan cope in summer with 2 boats serving Arran and Campbeltown with the Glen Sannox and CI?

The aim of the project once complete is to deliver a resilient port at Ardrossan.

It is expected that with both the MV Glen Sannox and the MV Caledonian Isles, will meet demand over the summer months covering the route to Brodick and Campbeltown providing a resilient ferry service.

What provision is made for distance to parking, buses and rail at Troon?

As noted above, the service continuity plan is currently being developed. Provisions for shuttle buses from Ardrossan to Troon and from Troon railhead to the port, including car parking are included

Has consideration been made for notifying travellers to Arran coming from Glasgow by road and rail to avoid travel to Ardrossan when the vessel will use Troon?

As part of the service continuity plan notification to travellers of any potential change to their journey will be included.  In addition, consideration will be given to the processes required to make customers aware of any changes to their journey. These processes will be communicated to the communities as part of the service continuity plan is due course.

As Troon has been confirmed as the mainland port during the Ardrossan construction this will minimise uncertainty regarding the departure port for the ferry.

Have freight carriers been consulted to ensure any diversion to Troon will not compromise their services?

As directed at the Task Force in February, Troon will now be the mainland port for the ferry service during the construction phase at Ardrossan.

During the public consultation, CalMac will work closely with freight carriers to understand their service needs and feed these into the service continuity plans prior to any decisions being taken on timetables. 

Where will the 'port of refuge' be during the work and until Gourock is repaired?

Troon will be used as the mainland port during the construction period at Ardrossan. Gourock linkspan life extension works were completed April 2021, therefore ferry services may operate there as an alternative mainland port for Ardrossan for current vessels should it be needed.

How will you keep the community updated on progress? Some don’t use social media.

A communications strategy for during the construction works is currently being progressed by the Steering Group, whereby all methods of communication will be used to ensure the general public is kept informed of progress. For example – posters, newsletters in the ports and on vessels as well as a dedicated webpage.

We will also work with local organisations to raise awareness of progress through their communication channels.