MOVES are afoot to realise radical multi-million plans to link Argyll and Bute with Scotland’s central belt via a network of bridges, roads and rail connections.

The proposals are the brainchild of David McKenzie, a former senior IBM executive who has lived on the Cowal peninsula since he retired a decade ago and now sits on the board of the Trossachs and Loch Lomond National Park.

He has helped to establish the Cowal Fixed Link Working group which has put forward a series of proposals, including routes over or under the Firth of Clyde, Loch Long, the Gareloch, the Holy Loch and Loch Fyne.

McKenzie’s preferred option is for a new bridge over Loch Long, just south of Loch Goil, joining up with existing rail and road networks, which he estimates could cost around £500 million.

A further option he initially put forward was for a railway tunnel between Dunoon and Gourock but this concept was ruled out as prohibitively expensive, with a possible cost of £2 billion due to the depth of the Clyde.

Members of the Scottish Parliament from all parties, including the Scottish Brexit Minister and Argyll and Bute MSP Michael Russell, have backed the principle of the Fixed Link project and McKenzie is confident his vision will become a reality within a decade.

“Michael Russell and all the local MSPs are committed to the ambition that within the lifetime of this Parliament they will get the Scottish Government to back the project in Parliament,” McKenzie told The National. “Cowal has lived up to my expectations – it is a fabulous place to live.

“The scenery is stunning, the people are very welcoming, but I have got very frustrated with the transport links to the central belt.”

Currently residents and visitors to Dunoon reach the central belt by taking a car and passenger ferry to from the town’s Hunter’s Quay to McInroy’s Point, Gourock, and then drive to Glasgow, or they can take a passenger-only ferry to Gourock which links up with the rail connection to Glasgow.

Alternatively, drivers between Glasgow and Dunoon can take the car along the A82 via Arrochar and on to the A83 and A815.

Each journey takes between an hour and an half and two hours depending on the traffic and weather conditions.

However, residents often complain the passenger-only ferries are frequently called off because the weather is too rough for the relatively small boats.

McKenzie pointed to the transport links which he believes have made the town vulnerable and cites a report from the Scottish Rural College which assessed 90 rural communities in Scotland and found Dunoon and Campbeltown to be the most at risk.

He says better connectivity is essential to turn the region’s fortunes around and stop young people and businesses leaving.

“It is ridiculous really. From my living room I can watch planes land and take off from Glasgow Airport,” McKenzie said. “We are closer to Glasgow than Stirling.

“There is absolutely no reason why we could not be a thriving community – a commuter town, a tourist town close to Glasgow if we had much improved transport links.

“A railway infrastructure would improve things considerably. “ Russell lodged a motion in Holyrood last year commending the work of the group and said the Cowal Fixed Link project could bring considerable benefits to the Cowal, Bute and wider Argyll, including “much needed population growth”.

He underlined the economic and social benefits brought about by the reintroduction of the Borders rail link to that part of the country and said the Cowal Project would have a parallel impact.

Russell’s motion was backed by MSPs Tom Arthur, Ben Macpherson, Joan McAlpine, Richard Lyle, Emma Harper, Clare Haughey, David Torrance, Stuart McMillan, Ivan McKee, Jackie Baillie, Maree Todd, John Finnie, Angus MacDonald, Jenny Gilruth, Gil Paterson, Gillian Martin, Donald Cameron and David Stewart.

McKenzie is now hoping to raise money for a feasibility study for his plans.

“We have enthusiastic support from many people, although there are also people who don’t want anything changed,” he said.

In Dunoon, the project has indeed been met with a range of views.

SNP councillor Gordon Blair said the focus for transport links to the central belt should be on improving the ferry service.

He said: “The cost of the Fixed Link project could range from between £400m to £1.5bn.

“Wouldn’t it be more cost effective, and solve the connectivity issues sooner, if the ferry services were improved?

“To me it doesn’t make sense to spend all that money when a reliable ferry service should suffice.”

But Cowal resident Colin Stevenson disagreed.

He said his wife was originally from Denmark which had a long-established series of bridges and tunnels to connect islands and peninsulas.

“I like the Fixed Link project idea,” he said. “I think it would really help people travel from the area to the Central Belt.”