Wendy calls on Scottish Parliament to fight for Renfrew Ferry

Wendy Alexander MSP for Paisley North today yesterday laid a motion in Parliament calling on her fellow MSPs, and the Scottish Parliament to back the campaign to save the Renfrew Ferry.

Wendy said

“I want the ferry saved. There are petitions all over Renfrew. There was a good crowd on Sunday. There will be a lobby of the crucial SPT meeting on Friday. If necessary the Scottish Government should step in.

I am tired of seeing Renfrewshire ripped off. First it was GARL axed; now it is the ferry.”

Liz Grant, a local campaigner living in Renfrew, who greatly relies on the Ferry, says

“The removal of the ferry would mean my travel arrangements for work would have to change dramatically. Presently, 5 days a week, I cross the river and get a bus to my office in the Clydebank Business Park. Should the ferry be removed I would have to get a bus to Govan, the subway to Partick and a bus to Clydebank, adding approximately 45 minutes to my journey, twice daily. Also two nights a week I have an evening job locally back in Renfrew – no ferry means I wouldn’t be able to get back in time to start work on those nights.

And for the community it would be a big loss. The Renfrew Ferry has been in operation for many years and is a valued and used method of transport in the town, linking Renfrew with Clydebank and the facilities that can be found therein.”

Wendy added

“Given the Government focus on environmental issues and the drive for the public to decrease our carbon footprint, it seems daft to remove a public transport system which for many will only realistically be replaced with the use of a car.”

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Click on the HAVE YOUR SAY! tab for a link to my online petition.

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S3M-05546 Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Scottish Labour): Threat to Renfrew Ferry— That the Parliament regrets the threat to the Renfrew Ferry, the second cut proposed to public transport infrastructure in Renfrewshire, following the Scottish Government’s cancellation of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link; notes that the Renfrew-Yoker ferry links the north and south banks of the Clyde, is 500 years old and one of Scotland’s oldest ferry links, is used by over 140,000 passengers a year and costs £1.10 for a single adult journey; considers the ferry to be a vital public transport link, and calls on every avenue to be explored to retain this link, including, if necessary, support from the Scottish Government.