Scottish Economy The inaugural voyage of the Glen Sannox last month marked the end of the long and arduous process of delivering an upgraded ferry linking Arran to Scotland’s mainland Commissioning the Glen Sannox began in 2015 and marked a significant milestone in the government’s capital investment programmes rising costs and a host of other well-publicised issues with building the ferry meant that delivery of the boat was delayed costing the government well above the £97m budget initially set for both the Glen Sannox and its unfinished sister ship now estimated to be over £400m in total we consider the impacts on Ardrossan – we will follow up in the next week or so with a blog about the impact on Arran particularly given the longer sailing time and reduced daily sailings to Scotland’s mainland in Ardrossan has existed in some capacity since the 1800s and is one of Scotland’s busiest ferry routes to date When the new ferry to service this route was commissioned, it became apparent that the port in Ardrossan was not fit to accommodate a boat of this scale, given the size and shape of the port and berth. The Ardrossan Harbour Project was given the green light in 2017 (with the preferred design option being approved in 2018) by then-transport minister Humza Yousaf signalling a new investment in Ardrossan as a transport hub and leisure district Unfortunately, this investment also was beset with delays and then the Covid-19 pandemic intervened, which meant that the costs associated with the re-development were significantly higher than originally planned. As a result, Transport Scotland announced a review of the business case in 2023 for the project to understand the true cost of the re-development Given the need to re-develop the port in Ardrossan and the progression in delivering the Glen Sannox it was decided that the service would be temporarily relocated to run via Troon and as the first journey of the Glen Sannox from Troon to Brodick took place the redevelopment of the Ardrossan Harbour has yet to begin with the business case for the project still under review With a permanent decision yet to be made on if and when the works will commence in Ardrossan there exists a high degree of uncertainty for those in Ardrossan Without any future commitment to re-develop the Ardrossan Harbour or the ferry moving to Troon in a more permanent capacity the long-term implications for Ardrossan are uncertain the ferry provides a key source of footfall supporting local employment and economic activity in an area rife with deprivation A key part of the decision to invest in the harbour in Ardrossan in 2018 was that doing so would help to boost inclusion and reduce deprivation in Ardrossan and surrounding towns Both Ardrossan and Arran sit within the local authority of North Ayrshire one of the most deprived local authorities in Scotland Whilst some of the key routes out of poverty include increased employment improved education and better public services Ardrossan currently struggles across most of these domains Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) data highlights that around 21% of households are deemed income deprived compared to 7% in Arran and 17% in North Ayrshire as a whole 17% of households in Ardrossan are deemed deprived as a result of exclusion from the labour market The longstanding history of a ferry service in Ardrossan means that the local economy has been built around the presence of the ferry service Examining the employment makeup of Ardrossan it is notable that while the Health and Social Care sector is the largest employer (as discussed below) and Accommodation and Food Services also account for significant shares of employment These sectors stand to benefit greatly from both the substantial footfall generated by the ferry and the operational needs of the ferry itself particularly within the transportation sector Source: NOMIS/ BRES The ferry serves as a welcome means of alleviating some of the adverse economic conditions in the town connecting it to a wider pool of employment and bringing tourists and visitors to the town to spend money in local shops This is particularly crucial for the local labour market given the lack of opportunity evident in Ardrossan When looking at the claimant-to-vacancy ratio the measure of those on employment-related benefits relative to the number of vacancies in the area Ardrossan has had significantly lower vacancies relative to the number of people claiming unemployment benefits This shows that employment opportunities are already significantly limited Source: Adzuna, NOMIS is that this temporary removal of the ferry service during the redevelopment any more permanent relocation of the service to Troon has significant consequences for the town of Ardrossan In recent weeks, locals have expressed their concerns about the loss of footfall through Ardrossan and its impact on their businesses (STV, Ardrossan Herald) with the situation causing huge uncertainty for the future of their business While the Glen Sannox’s arrival will be a welcome relief for many and will ease some pressure Troon may serve as a pragmatic alternative while the repairs to MV Caledonian Isles are carried out but the longer Ardrossan is left with this uncertainty the more negative the outlook for the town appears Ardrossan was identified in 2018 as the best location for the ferry route due to the economic benefits shorter journey times and superior onward transport links While the rising costs of the Ardrossan Harbour Project are a legitimate concern it is important to note that an extended switch to Troon will not be without cost With one of the key features of the Glen Sannox being its use of LNG fuel a more environmentally friendly means to power a ship than diesel the construction of suitable storage facilities being delayed until a firm decision on the future location is made will likely add further costs to the project For example, the LNG used to fuel these new ships is being imported from Qatar to Kent, before being driven some 460 miles to Scotland in tankers. This journey will be required once or twice a week to fuel the ship until storage facilities are built (BBC) The added inconvenience and weaker travel links from Glasgow city centre to Troon may also reduce leisure travel and tourism in the long run which is a key source of economic activity in these areas a permanent cessation of the ferry service from Ardrossan could put at risk the wider Ardrossan Harbour Project meaning the town will also lose out on employment and visitor appeal associated with a new retail and leisure district The temporary relocation of the ferry base to Troon has also raised numerous concerns for residents in Arran the journey to Brodick is more than 20 minutes longer from Troon than Ardrossan and the number of daily sailings has been cut from 5 to 3 potentially impacting day-to-day life for those living on Arran and using the service frequently The return of MV Caledonian Isles in March cannot come quickly enough for Ardrossan but it should not be treated as a makeweight for the new ferries to continue operating out of Troon Already beyond its expected operational life Caledonian Isles does not represent a long-term safeguard to ferry services operating out of Ardrossan Source: Office for National Statistics The delays over the decision for the investment in Ardrossan are symptomatic of a wider reluctance to make decisions over how to reshape the Government’s capital programme in the wake of the pandemic and the inflationary spike that followed There are particular complications for the Ardrossan works such as the ownership of the harbour (it is privately owned) but these should not be insurmountable in coming to a decision The latest version of the Infrastructure Investment Programme has been continually delayed just like the decision over Ardrossan This lack of clarity over which infrastructure programmes will be taken forward causes great uncertainty more broadly and has been criticised by the Finance and Public Administration Committee in the Scottish Parliament in several pre- and post-budget scrutiny reports over the last few years is a decision on the future of the ferry port in Ardrossan to allow those living and working in the area to make more certain decisions on their future Look out for our next blog focussing on the impacts on Arran Mairi is the Director of the Fraser of Allander Institute she was the Deputy Chief Executive of the Scottish Fiscal Commission and the Head of National Accounts at the Scottish Government and has over a decade of experience working in different areas of statistics and analysis Ben is an Economist Fellow at the Fraser of Allander Institute working across a number of projects areas He has a Masters in Economics from the University of Edinburgh and a degree in Economics from the University of Strathclyde His main areas of focus are economic policy social care and criminal justice in Scotland Ben also co-edits the quarter Economic Commentary and has experience in business survey design and dissemination Aidan is a Knowledge Exchange Assistant at the Fraser of Allander Institute The Fraser of Allander Institute (FAI) is a leading economy research institute based in the Department of Economics at the University of Strathclyde The Arran for Ardrossan Harbour group boarded the Glen Sannox ferry in Brodick on Saturday and headed for the mainland The harbour needs an £80m upgrade to fit two new ferries but there has been no agreement between owner Peel Ports the Scottish government and North Ayrshire Council over who should pay Services are being diverted along the coast to Troon in the meantime The campaigners marched off the vessel chanting and waving placards ShareSaveMoment houses set alight in overnight firebomb attacksVideo posted online shows the front of a house being dowsed with liquid before being set alight. 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RMT welcomes reports of Scottish Government talks to acquire Ardrossan Harbour but insists this must lead to full public ownership Website developed by NetXtra CloseIsland campaigners have held a 'protest sail' in Ayrshire over stalled progress over the future of Ardrossan harbour Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRead descriptionEditor's recommendationsArdrossan Harbour campaigners hold protest on ferry route 00:00:46Ardrossan Harbour campaigners hold protest on ferry route 0:46Up Next Merz defeat 'an obstacle not a catastrophe' Video 00:01:05Merz defeat 'an obstacle not a catastrophe' 1:05Watch: BBC reports from pier 33 - the gateway to Alcatraz 00:01:44Watch: BBC reports from pier 33 - the gateway to Alcatraz 1:44Watch: Prince Louis steals the show as royals mark VE Day 00:01:25Watch: Prince Louis steals the show as royals mark VE Day 1:25Watch: How Lady Gaga's record-breaking concert almost ended in disaster Video 00:01:21Watch: How Lady Gaga's record-breaking concert almost ended in disaster 1:21'Trump was the game-changer': Three things to know about the Australian election result 00:01:20'Trump was the game-changer': Three things to know about the Australian election result 1:20Prince Harry 'can't see a world' where his family will visit the UK 00:02:54Prince Harry 'can't see a world' where his family will visit the UK 2:54Watch: Key moments from the local elections.. 00:01:32Watch: Key moments from the local elections.. 1:32Watch: Reform by-election win raises questions for Labour and Tories 00:01:11Watch: Reform by-election win raises questions for Labour and Tories 1:11Russell Brand's court appearance explained.. 00:00:50Russell Brand's court appearance explained.. 0:50Ros Atkins on.. What's in the US-Ukraine resources deal 1:23Kamala Harris hits out at Trump in first major speech since losing election 00:01:18Kamala Harris hits out at Trump in first major speech since losing election Residents and campaigners have been long been calling for 'urgent and required refurbishment' of the harbour. Fiona Hyslop said it is “still the government’s intention” to purchase the privately-owned harbour in North Ayrshire, which requires upgrades in order to allow the new Glen Sannox ferry, which serves the Isle of Arran, the berth there. The long-delayed and over-budget ferry was rerouted to Troon to serve the island due to the size of Ardrossan’s harbour, which has impacted businesses in the town. On Thursday afternoon, Hyslop convened the Ardrossan harbour taskforce and other stakeholders on the Isle of Arran to hear in-person feedback on the port purchase option. “This Government remains fully committed to the future of Ardrossan Harbour and as discussions progress it is still our intention to utilise the funding for a potential purchase from our 2025/26 budget,” Hyslop confirmed. However, she was not able to give the community the timeline for the purchase, which is something campaigners have been asking for. “If it is going to be years before we have a full service to Ardrossan, folk need time to plan, businesses need time to plan. We’re talking about folks livelihoods,” Matthew McGovan from the Save Ardrossan Harbour campaign group told STV News. Fellow campaigner Christine Cowie agreed that the lack of clarity and communication has been “very frustrating”. “Eight years ago we were told Ardrossan was the port for Arran and we’re still waiting on the work to be done. It’s very very frustrating,” she said. Hyslop recognised the desire from the local community to understand when works on Ardrossan Harbour will begin, but she said what those works will be and how they will be scheduled “can only be reasonably established and published on actual purchase and transfer of control of the port”. “There is a requirement for due diligence and agreement of terms between Peel Ports Group and CMAL before any change of ownership could be confirmed,” Hyslop said. “These negotiations are still ongoing, and all parties continue to act in good faith.” Arran residents and campaigners have been long been calling for “urgent and required refurbishment” of the Harbour. The issue has become more urgent in recent months since CalMac’s MV Caledonian Isles was temporarily taken out of service for repairs in January. The two new ferries currently serving CalMac’s Arran route – including the new Glen Sannox ferry – are too big to berth at Ardrossan safely. As a result, CalMac begun sailing to Arran from Troon in South Ayrshire instead of Ardrossan harbour, which is about 15 miles away. Ardrossan harbour has lain vacant ever since. CalMac also restricted the route from Arran to Troon to three daily return crossings because of the extra journey time. The smaller MV Caledonian Isles ferry was originally expected to return to service in March, but is now expected to be back in the water towards the end of May, which CalMac said is “later than previously planned”. Mr McGovan and Ms Cowie were adamant that the service must return to Ardrossan. “Everyone is saying Ardrossan is the only options – Peer Ports have said it, Transport Scotland have said it, the Scottish Government have said it – everyone is saying the same thing,” Mr McGovan said. “If everyone’s in agreement then why are we not there yet? There’s no other option: It has to be Ardrossan. Everyone is saying that so it’s time for them to follow through on it.” If the service was to be permanently removed, Mr McGovan said it would be a “devastating blow to the area”. It’s the reason why campaigners are calling on the Scottish Government to provide the long-term “necessary financial backing to safeguard Ardrossan Harbour and its ferry service”. It’s an issue that stretches back to at least 2018 when the Ardrossan Harbour Project was given the go-ahead in 2018 by then-transport minister Humza Yousaf who promised the North Ayrshire town would remain the main gateway to Arran. Transport Scotland paused the project in 2023 following concerns about rising costs, and said a new business case would be developed. After years of stalling, it was finally confirmed in February that Holyrood is currently in talks with Ardrossan Harbour owners at Peel Ports Group regarding a possible buyout by the Scottish Government. The cash for the potential purchase of the site has been earmarked in the Scottish Government’s Budget for 2025-26. Hyslop told MSPs talks over purchasing the harbour are taking place in a bid to “ensure we make progress on finding a solution at Ardrossan that can be delivered in a cost-effective way”. STV News is now on WhatsAppGet all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Follow STV News on WhatsAppScan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country '+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text+' "+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title+" "+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text+" Three-metre shark was found on sand bank near the coastal town of Ardrossan in South Australia Tourist Nash Core admits he felt some fear when he and his 11-year-old son waded into the ocean off the Australian coast to help rescue a three-metre great white shark stranded in shallow water Three local men managed to return the distressed animal from a sand bank into deeper water after an almost hour-long rescue effort on Tuesday near the coastal town of Ardrossan in South Australia “It was either sick or … just tired,” said Core who was visiting with his family from the Gold Coast in Queensland “We definitely got it into some deeper water Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter Core came across the unusual human-shark interaction while travelling around Australia with his wife Nash Core used his drone to shoot video of the writhing shark before he and Parker decided to help the trio who were struggling to move the shark into deeper water why am I going out here?’” Core said on Thursday turned to me and said … ‘My heart’s pounding’ The three men had used crab rakes – a garden rake-like tool for digging small crabs from sand – to move the shark into deeper water by the time the father and son arrived Core said he decided against pushing the shark himself “They … got it into deeper water where I thought it’s probably not a good idea to go any further That’s its territory and I’ll stay back,” he said Core said the rescuers later told him they had never seen a beached shark before Macquarie University wildlife scientist Vanessa Pirotta said while shark strandings were not common they were becoming more visible through social media There could be a number of reasons why marine animals like sharks might strand The shark could also have chased prey into the shallows human safety comes first and foremost,” Pirotta said “You can contact environmental authorities … who will get someone appropriate to come and assist.”