Highlands and Islands Scottish Conservative MSP Donald Cameron has told the Scottish Government to listen to the residents of Dunoon and take action to improve the ferry service from Dunoon to Gourock.

Donald was speaking immediately after attending a meeting of the Dunoon Ferry Action Group this evening (Friday 26th April).

He said: “It is great that so many people attended the meeting and are so passionate about making progress.

“There were many positive proposals and it is clear that we are united on the need for change to the existing ferry service which is unreliable and out-of-date.

“Twelve years ago when the Scottish Government took office in Holyrood their local representatives pledged to take action on this lifeline service which had become unreliable.

“Twelve years later and we are still waiting.

“In this day and age, we need a sustainable, safe and robust service that will give businesses the confidence to invest in Dunoon, and across the Cowal peninsula, and give families the reassurance they require that they can get across the Clyde when they need to.”

Cllr Bobby Good (Scottish Conservative – Dunoon), said:  “Since I was elected two years ago my constituents have been asking me when we will return to a decent service from Dunoon.

“They deserve an answer.

“The minister responsible, Paul Wheelhouse, was here a few weeks back, and we have now had a further meeting of the Action Group.

“Local people are so frustrated that the Dunoon Community Council even went so far, earlier this month, as to pass a vote of no confidence in Argyll and Bute’s SNP MSP, Mike Russell.

“Mr Wheelhouse must now fully understand the community’s position and, even if Mike Russell has failed to impress upon him the need, he surely cannot have failed to register how passionate we feel about this matter.

“It is beyond the resources of Argyll and Bute Council to finance a major strategic infrastructure project like this so the SNP Government simply has to accept responsibility and act on the promises made by them 12 long years ago.

”If they can do it for the Central Belt they can do it for us.”