by jamiemcivor » Sun Oct 09, 2011 12:42 pm
I was quite surprised to see this thread, given the success of the Kintyre Express over the summer.
If a company can run a service without a public subsidy, it would be very difficult - even at a time of plenty - to justify the state jumping in unless there was a clear way they could add value. (ie an economic case for a car ferry service rather than just a service to carry foot passengers and bikes.)
Meanwhile the Kintyre Express seems to have done a grand job over the tourist season. Indeed I can imagine that service continuing to grow as it becomes established and more widely known. For instance, some cyclists have been using the Kintyre Express so they can make a trip from the tip of Ireland to John O'Groats.