This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Campbeltown-Ballycastle ferry tender invited
30/12/2002
Potential bidders have today been invited to submit
their tenders for a subsidy to run the Campbeltown -
Ballycastle ferry service.
The final tender incorporates many of the comments put
forward by key local parties in Argyll and Moyle during the
recent consultation exercise on the key service
requirements.
Deputy Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning
Minister Lewis Macdonald said:
"The consultation period has been very worthwhile and
has allowed local communities in Kintyre and Moyle to have
a say in how the service is operated and I am pleased that
we have been able to take on board a number of suggestions
made by the key local interests.
"This is another notable milestone in the tendering
process, and I am pleased good progress has been made to
reach this stage so quickly. The Scottish Executive, and
our colleagues in Northern Ireland remain committed to
seeking an operator for the service between Campbeltown and
Ballycastle."
A joint announcement by the Scottish Executive, Northern
Ireland Executive and Scotland Office was made on
30 January 2002 that a tendering exercise should go ahead.
The Northern Ireland Executive has agreed that
responsibility for running the tendering exercise should
fall to the Scottish Executive.
The Executive announced the start of the new competition
on 22 May 2002. The necessary powers to provide the subsidy
have also been transferred from Westminster following the
approval of the Scottish and Westminster Parliaments.
Scottish Ministers made a commitment to undertake a
public local consultation on the draft service
specification for the Campbeltown - Ballycastle route as
has been carried out for previous ferry tendering
exercises.
Comments on the draft Service Specification were invited
by 11 November, four weeks from the date of issue.
Ministers considered the comments made carefully and have
made changes to the Service Specification in light of the
exercise.
The final agreed document, which forms the basis of the
invitation to tender has now been issued to short listed
bidders. The final tender document remains subject to the
following conditions as previously agreed with
Ministers:-
- that the initial contract term for the service will
be 5 years;
- that the service will operate for at least
11 months of the year;
- that the maximum annual amount of subsidy to be
made available for the support of this service will be
£1.0 million.
Bidders are invited to submit their technical bids by 21
February 2003.
Provided an acceptable compliant tender is received, it
is hoped that it will be possible to re-instate the service
for Summer 2003.