Ferry campaigners seek EU support

It is hoped the MV Claymore will be back in service

Campaigners in Kintyre are trying to persuade the European Commission to help them restore the ferry connection between Campbeltown and Ballycastle in Northern Ireland.

The service was withdrawn in February because the operators said it was not economically viable.

A consortium of local businesses and tourism organisations is now bidding to re-establish the route.

The campaigners hope to persuade the EC to give the route "lifeline" status meaning it qualifies for government subsidy.

Tourism has suffered since the connection was cut and the Kintyre community is seeking to persuade European commissioners that the area's economy depends on the link.

Councillor Baldy McCallum: "Industries going down hill"

Bruce Urquhart of the Kintyre Marketing Group said: "The impact has been enormous. We desperately want to see the service continue.

"We don't particularly care which operator is doing it, but we want to see someone who is committed to making the service work which we didn't have in the past."

Councillor Baldy McCallum said: "The main industries were fishing, farming and the distilleries and they're all going down hill all the time."

Councillor Alasdair Blair said: "If the ferry does not resume service it will become the biggest and most expensive white elephant that Kintyre has ever seen."

Public funds

The route between Campbeltown and Ballycastle, agreed under the previous Conservative government, was launched in June 1997 with Sea Containers setting up the Argyll & Antrim Steam Packet company, known as the AA Line, to run it.

The service received £8m from public agencies and the MV Claymore was refitted for the service.

It was hoped the twice-daily sailings would create more than 200 jobs and raise £7m for tourism across Scotland as well as giving a boost to the Kintyre economy.

In February, the AA Line, reported to be losing £500,000 a year on the route, confirmed it was unable to continue the service.

A group of Kintyre business people, trading under the name of Kintyre Ferries, is leading the campaign to have the ferry route re-established.

The group has been negotiating to buy the MV Claymore and it is hoped that the twice-daily sailings could re-commence next year.