This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Separate tender for Gourock-Dunoon route
29/01/2003
The Gourock-Dunoon ferry service will be tendered
separately from the rest of the Clyde and Hebrides it was
announced today.
The decision follows the Executive's consultation on
proposals to tender ferry services currently operated by
Caledonian MacBrayne as part of the Executive's commitment
to maintaining lifeline ferry links across Scotland, and to
comply with European Union (EU) rules.
Taking the Gourock-Dunoon route out of the single bundle
of routes being tendered will allow more flexibility whilst
still remaining within EU rules. Potential operators will
be able to bid on the basis of either a passenger-only
service or a combined passenger and vehicle service.
Deputy Transport Minister Lewis Macdonald said:
"The lifeline ferry services currently provided by
CalMac in the Firth of Clyde are vital to the economic and
social well being of local communities, and this is why we
are committed to maintaining these services within the
constraints of the European rules that we have to
follow.
"It was proposed last summer to tender the whole CalMac
network as a single bundle. Following discussion with the
European Commission, we took the view that Gourock-Dunoon
would have to be restricted to a passenger-only service if
it was part of that single bundle. Further discussion with
the Commission, together with Argyll and Bute and
Inverclyde Councils, has allowed us to examine other
options in more detail.
"In particular, we have concluded that it is possible to
tender Gourock-Dunoon with a passenger-only subsidy, as at
present, in a way that gives operators the choice of
whether to provide a passenger-only or a combined passenger
and vehicle service. To do this, we will tender
Gourock-Dunoon separately from the rest of the network.
"We will be developing a draft service specification for
the route and publishing it for consultation in due course.
We will then be inviting tenderers to bid for a
passenger-only subsidy to run either a passenger-only or
passenger and vehicle service. We will be obliged to accept
the bid which offers the lowest subsidy overall.
"I am grateful to all those who have responded to the
consultation and for the feedback from the local
communities in Gourock and in Dunoon. I have met with local
representatives on a number of occasions and considered
their suggestions carefully as part of our effort to
identify the best way forward for the route.
"Our aim is to ensure reliable, safe and secure
services, together with affordable passenger fares on the
Gourock-Dunoon route, as well as across the network. The
best way to achieve this is to work in partnership with the
local Councils and communities as well as the European
Community, and our recent consultation exercise has allowed
us to work in exactly this way."
Over 400 comments have been received (including standard
responses) in response to our Proposals for Tendering the
Clyde and Hebrides Lifeline ferry services and draft
Invitation to Tender published on 27 June 2002.
Lewis Macdonald met EC representatives in Brussels on
19 November 2002, and was joined by representatives of
Argyll & Bute and Inverclyde Councils.
Tendering the Gourock - Dunoon route separately will
involve:
- allowing operators the freedom to bring their own
vessels;
- maintaining the restrictions (frequency and length
of operating day) that have applied to the
Gourock-Dunoon service currently operated by
Caledonian MacBrayne for a number of years;
- determining the outcome on the basis of the lowest
cost bid (in line with the rules for PSOs) regardless
of whether this is for a passenger-only or a combined
service; and
- The passenger service and passenger fares will be
prescribed through the PSO.
A draft Invitation to tender (ITT) will be published for
consultation soon.