Corran Conundrum

Corran Tunnel? Hmm... unlikely.

I’ve been reading the local papers about the impending local council decision to suspend the Corran ferry service for up to 4 weeks while essential works are carried out on the Nether Lochaber slipway.

The proposed works are due to take place in May and June 2010 and render the link closed for the duration, diverting around 1000 cars, lorries, buses and vans daily via a 37 mile route to Fort William, much of which is on single track road.

These plans have met almost universal objection from communities affected, and a joint community council group has been lobbying MSP’s to force the Highland Council into a dramatic rethink.

A Gentleman's Agreement

I’ve been told that the ferry service was due to be replaced around about the same time as the Ballachulish Bridge was constructed. They had the money and the plans to construct an almost identical structure. However it was overlooked that the narrows is an active shipping lane and as money wasn’t available to re-design a taller or lifting option, construction was postponed.

At that point, the then Council agreed to take over the operation of the ferry as it stood and charge the equivalent fare that one would incur by travelling via Fort William, Kinlocheil and down Loch Eil-side.

In today’s money this is seemingly £6.40 for your average car. And taking into account the alternate’s route expense in fuel, wear, tax pro-rata, it sounds reasonable comparable.

Sea Rage

I’ve travelled over the ferry a fair few times for a daily commute. For that time it was the bain of my life, grudgingly paying handsomely for what I thought (think), was a ridiculous service to still operate in these modern times. Especially given other Scottish commuters and travellers were no longer paying bridge tolls and getting as-the-crow-flies road equivalent fares.

I put up with it though, as really it wasn’t too much of a price to pay to live in the beautiful rural setting that I still do.

I’ve also travelled for many years on the proposed alternative route while this closure takes place, the A861.

In my opinion plain and simple, the road can’t cope and shouldn’t even be mooted as an alternative. If you’ve ever had the displeasure of driving it when the A82 is closed between Fort William and Corran, you’ll know that it’s one of the hairiest driving experiences you’ll encounter. That every day for 4 weeks? I think not.

But these recent revelations highlight, and perhaps re-ignite, questions that really need answered.

Who in the Highland Council is responsible for even considering that the current proposal would be suitable? In May and June! For 4 Weeks! And expect traffic to take the A861 as an alternative! To me, this smacks of a local government completely disconnected from the affairs of its electorate. It’s a plan made by a massively centralised organisation that in my mind is unfit for the responsibility of local government. I’m not even convinced they’ll make concessions to these closure plans despite this massive local outcry.

Is it fair to still charge £6.40 to unsuspecting tourists that with a tail wind could spit across the narrows? Even with the concessions for commuters and commercial vehicles, is the council creaming a profit by holding a peninsula at ransom?

Finally though, is a ferry service really fit for purpose any more, given the volume of traffic and fragile economies which have become dependent on the service? Since the larger ferry started service in 2001 the people and the economy of Ardnamurchan have become increasingly dependent on it. Every year when it’s replaced by a considerably smaller vessel for a month there are more and more vehicles experiencing longer and longer delays. It’s an artery that’s been getting increasing fuzzy, and perhaps this latest palaver will see this fragile, rural economic heart give out.

The simple answer is that a fixed link needs to be built. Sadly though, when our government doesn’t have a pot to piss in, when we can’t commit to a replacement Forth Crossing or even knock together a few miles of railway between Paisley and Glasgow Airport, I think we’ll be waiting a long time to see any improvements at Corran.