River: Renfrew ferry facing axe
The fate of a historic Glasgow ferry which dates back 500 years will be decided by transport chiefs today.
The Renfrew Ferry, which runs between Yoker and Renfrew, is one of the services under scrutiny as operators Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) makes savings of £2.5million.
The route provides more than 140,000 passenger journeys a year. But SPT, which owns and runs the service, said scrapping the ferry will be among options considered at a budget meeting.
A spokeswoman said: "SPT, like many other local government agencies and local councils, is facing severe financial problems.
"For next year's budget we have to find savings of £2.5 million. To that end we are looking at every line of our budget including our current subsidies to bus, subway and ferry services.
"No final decisions have been made nor will be made until SPT's special budget meeting on the 22nd of January."
The meeting will take place at 11am on Friday.
The spokeswoman said around £400,000 of subsidies lowered the price of tickets for the ferry service. The transport authority's budget comes from the Scottish Government and 12 councils.
The shortfall is blamed partly on rising costs and fewer passengers on the ferries. However, two Labour MPs have said the Scottish Government had not provided enough funding for the service.
John Robertson, MP for Glasgow North West, said: "It's yet another example of the SNP-led Scottish Executive being anti-Glasgow and not funding transport. There is clearly no place for Glasgow in the SNP's Scotland."
Jim Sheridan, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, added: "I'm fed up with the people of Renfrewshire having to suffer the consequences every time the SNP decide on their spending cuts."
A ferry has operated between Renfrew on the south side of the Clyde and Yoker on the north for 500 years. The two passenger ferries which cover the route, the Renfrew Rose and Yoker Swan, were introduced in 1984.
One ferry is always kept in reserve for periods of maintenance and repair. Each boat can carry 50 passengers but rarely has more than 12 people on one trip.
Mr Sheridan added: "The Renfrew Rose is extremely important for people to get access to their places of work, especially my constituents who mostly depend on public transport."
In 2008 discussions were held on replacing the ferry route with a bridge.
