RENFREW ROSE at the Yoker slip

Fears over ancient ferry service
Budget cuts may mean end of Yoker-Renfrew ferry...

Fears are being stoked up over a 500 year old ferry service on the River Clyde.

The heavily subsidised Yoker-Renfrew ferry service has continued on the same spot where ferries have plied for over 500 years.

But now it's future is uncertain as the operators, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) look to trim their budgets in an effort to save 2.5 million GBP.

Around 140,000 passenger trips are made annually on the short crossing across the river and each trip is subsidised by 2.70 pounds from the SPT.

Although passenger numbers are small each trip, local councillors say the service is vital for passengers, for visiting friends and relatives and for work.

At present two elderly vessels maintain the service, but increasingly they are proving expensive to run.

For more see:

BBC Scotland article