Passenger only ferry crossing between Gourock and Dunoon: FOI release

Information requested

1. Have any studies been done on the financial and/or social impact on Dunoon of the town centre crossing becoming passenger only, if so please reference them.

2. Of the HGVs and Coaches crossing the Firth of Clyde by ferry what percentage used the Dunoon - Gourock crossing and what percentage used the McInroy's Point - Hunter's Quay crossing before the town centre crossing became passenger only.

3. Of the small passenger vehicles and light commercial vehicles crossing the Firth of Clyde by ferry what percentage used the  Dunoon - Gourock crossing and what percentage used the McInroy's Point - Hunter's Quay crossing before the town centre crossing became passenger only.

4. When the town centre crossing became passenger only what percentage of coaches and HGVs that had used it:

a) Ceased to travel to/from Dunoon and surround
b) Switched to using the McInroy's Point -Hunter's quay ferry crossing instead to travel to/from Dunoon and surrounds.
c) Switched to driving to/from Dunoon and surrounds via the A83 instead of using a ferry service.

5. When the town centre crossing became passenger only what percentage of small passenger vehicles and light commercial vehicles that had used it:

a) Ceased to travel to/from Dunoon and surrounds
b) Switched to using the McInroy's Point -Hunter's quay ferry crossing instead to travel to/from Dunoon and surrounds.
c) Switched to driving to/from Dunoon and surrounds via the A83 instead of using a ferry service.

6. What effect did loss of the town centre ferry crossing have on traffic flows through Gourock.

7. What effect did the change to a passenger only service have on air quality in Gourock in particular:

PM10 particulate matter/PM2.5 particulate matter/PM1 particulate matter/Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)/Nitric oxide (NO)/Nitrogen oxides as nitrogen dioxide (NOXasNO2)

8. What effect did the change to a passenger only service have on air quality in Dunnon in particular:

PM10 particulate matter/PM2.5 particulate matter/PM1 particulate matter/Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)/Nitric oxide (NO)/Nitrogen oxides as nitrogen dioxide (NOXasNO2)

9. In terms of the ferry vessels used what was the impact on the release of greenhouse gases of switching from vehicle carrying ferries to passenger only ferries.

10. Taking into account the change in vehicle journeys patterns result from the loss of the Dunoon Gourock ferry crossing what was the overall total impact on the release of greenhouse gases of switching from vehicle carrying ferries to passenger only ferries.

11. When the A83 is closed at the 'rest and be thankful' what is the effect on traffic volumes and queuing times at Hunter's Quay and McInroy's Point.

12. Are there any plans to use the vehicle linkspan at Gourock for anything other than as a Port of Refuge for Arran and Bute ferry services.

13. Are the ferry routes across the Firth of Clyde to Cowal the only domestic ferry routes in Scotland to which RET does not apply, if not please list the others.

14. Are there any plans to implement RET on the town centre ferry crossing, if so what are the timescales

15. Are there any plans to implement RET on the McIRoy's Point - Hunter's Quay ferry crossing, if so what are the timescales.

16. If the current town centre ferries are to be replaced with new passenger only ferries will those be of at least 40m in length and, if not, what studies have been done to confirm that such vessels would be able to operate at least as reliably as the former 'Streaker' vehicle ferries.”