Published: Thursday, 26th November, 2009 7:05am

New Forth hovercraft service in two years

by Gary Fitzpatrick

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A NEW hovercraft or ferry service across the Forth could be operating within two years, says Fife's transport chair Tony Martin.

His comments came after Stagecoach boss Brian Souter announced a £14 million joint venture with the world's leading hovercraft producer.

The cross-Forth link could be a ferry, a hovercraft or both.

That issue remains open but Mr Martin said, "The hovercraft service seems to be Brian Souter's personal vision and so that may be a driving force."

Mr Souter's ambitious plans for a permanent hovercraft service would see a journey time of less than 20 minutes for the crossing, between Kirkcaldy and Portobello.

More than 32,000 passengers took part in a trial operation in 2007 and Stagecoach estimates that the proposed service could attract 870,000 customers a year.

Two hovercraft, each carrying up to 150 passengers, would provide crossings every 25 minutes at peak times and an hourly off-peak service.

Plans are also being drawn up for landing ramps, passenger terminals and car parking.

The crossings would be integrated with shuttle bus links from Portobello to Ocean Terminal and Waverley Bridge.

Stagecoach expects to submit detailed planning applications to Fife and City of Edinburgh councils before the end of the year.

Stagecoach's partner in the joint venture is the Bland Group, owners of the hovercraft manufacturer Griffon Hoverwork.

Mr Souter, Stagecoach group chief executive, said, "We believe it is important to maintain the momentum behind the project and we are delighted to have a joint venture partner and significant private sector funding now in place.

"This is a further step forward in our plans.

"Securing planning permission is a critical element of the project and we will be looking to progress this while continuing our discussions on public sector support."

James Gaggero, chairman of the Bland Group, said, "We are delighted to have secured a joint venture agreement with Stagecoach to operate a hovercraft service across the Forth.

"Our hovercraft have been sold to 39 countries across six continents whilst our fast frequent service between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight serves more than 800,000 customers annually and is a tourist attraction in itself.

"We look forward to working with Stagecoach and the planning authorities to introduce a commercial hovercraft to Scotland and build on the successful trial in 2007."

Mr Martin, chair of Fife's environment, enterprise and transportation committee, said, "I understand that the funding agreed by Stagecoach and the Bland Group for a hovercraft project will cover the majority of the project costs but it is unclear to what extent these would include the infrastructure required on each side of the Forth and any operating subsidy that might be necessary, particularly off-peak.

"Fife Council has £1 million committed in its capital programme for a cross Forth ferry/hovercraft and we recently submitted a bid to Europe for a further funding contribution.

"We are really optimistic that a cross Forth ferry or hovercraft will come to fruition."

Asked when that might be, he replied, "I still think we could have a service in operation by 2011."