The council needs to make improvements to the ferry terminal infrastructure at both Dunoon and Kilcreggan to ensure safe and reliable berthing for the new passenger-only vessels that Transport Scotland is bringing into operation in 2025.

These upgrades will deliver a range of benefits for passengers and will ensure that both terminals can accommodate larger vessels, resulting in wider economic impact throughout the area.

A combination of the Strategic Business Case, and discussions with relevant personnel from the Council and CalMac Ferries Ltd (CFL), has identified several requirements for the ferry berth at Kilcreggan.

These requirements are:

• One berth is to be provided for berthing of the new and existing passenger-only vessels, including relief vessels (up to 40m long)
• Solutions are to be future-proofed for a 60-year design life (two generations of vessels)
• Improve the reliability of the ferry service
• The approaches are to allow safe navigation for ferries at all states of the tide
• Facilities should allow for continued use by PS Waverley
• Improved passenger access to ferries to meet current legislation and guidance
• Passenger waiting facilities and parking should be maintained – the options will be explored during a detailed design stage
• Options for improvements to onward transport connections are to be explored during the detailed design stage, but should be located in close proximity to the ferry berth

The project team developed several options to meet these requirements and, after further consideration, the proposed preferred option is Option 4a, which provides a large, reinforced concrete pontoon to the west of the existing pier.

With this option, the existing timber pier would remain as a supplementary facility for leisure and recreational use by others. Initial wave modelling results indicate it is likely that the breakwater will be required.

Councillor Andrew Kain, the council’s policy lead for roads and transport, said: “The existing pier at Kilcreggan is 125 years old, it is Category B listed, and it has limited structural capacity to accommodate the new, larger ferries. These planned improvements will have a significant impact on the local area and will benefit our local communities for years to come. It is vital that we seek the views of our local residents though, and I would urge everyone to give us their feedback.”