Published: Thursday, 4th February, 2010 9:52am

Council plan brings fresh hope for ferry

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EXCLUSIVE - By Rosalyn Campbell

AS Renfrewshire Council fight to fix the ferry, SPT chiefs who voted to axe it are under fire for blowing millions of pounds on junkets and consultants.

Commuters to work who depend on the centuries-old ferry service from Renfrew to Yoker were distraught to hear it would close at the end of March.

Now Renfrewshire Council leader Derek Mackay has announced that the council is working hard to save the ferry - and create an alternative service for the hundreds who use the crossing.

He said: "I have been very encouraged at the expressions of interest we have already received that a ferry service could be maintained for the future.

"I'm not able at this stage to go into detail about the possible service providers so that all potential interested partners have time to come forward.

"However, I can assure the people of Renfrewshire that we are convinced that proposals can quickly be developed for a viable and sustainable service. We are working very hard to develop those proposals."

Councillor Mackay is asking the transport authority to extend the ferry service beyond March, to allow the existing customer base to be maintained as alternative service and appropriate funding arrangements are put in place.

But in a further blow, SPT (Strathclyde Partnership for Transport) said there were no plans at the moment to extend the service.

A spokesperson for SPT said: "The reason for the end of March cut-off is that it's the end of the financial year and that's why that date was chosen.

"SPT is dealing with a number of agencies regarding the future of commercial ferry services on the Clyde.

"This includes officials from Renfrewshire Council who we are meeting later this week."

Meanwhile, it was revealed that SPT - which says it can no longer afford to subsidise the service to the tune of £430,000 a year - had signed cheques totalling £2.88 million to consultants over two years and spent £50,000 on trips abroad.

This includes a trip to Italy to look at art in underground stations - a Freedom of Information request by Graeme Hendry, SNP Yoker councillor, disclosed.

Of the millions spent on junkets and consultants, the SPT spokesperson said: "It is much cheaper to engage appropriate expertise to design major projects than to pay experts to be permanently on the payroll.

"It is against accounting rules to spend capital funds on running costs, so we cannot take money from capital and use it for the running costs of the Renfrew Ferry. To suggest that this is possible is frankly, wrong.

"Every foreign fact-finding trip undertaken by an SPT employee is approved in advance by the appropriate Partnership body.

"That Partnership is made up of councillors from all major political parties.

"SPT has gathered vital information regarding our proposed modernisation of the Subway from partners who run similar Subway systems elsewhere.

"For example, we are on the brink of saving £3 million on an advanced ticketing project as a result of a fact-finding visit abroad.""