THE Scottish Greens have said they want to work with ferry bosses at Calmac to set up new links between Scotland and Europe.
The party believes publicly owned services could run from places such as Rosyth, which has previously had ferry links with Europe.
The news follows calls from SNP MP Douglas Chapman, who last year called for the ferry from Rosyth to Belgium to be reinstated in order to bypass the “shambles” created by Brexit in the south-east of England.
READ MORE: Scottish Greens launch 'bold' manifesto with pledge to hold indyref2
Green co-leader Lorna Slater also pointed to export troubles caused by Brexit, saying tailbacks linked to exiting the bloc had shown there was a need for more ways of getting to the continent.
She added that having “new low-carbon ferries carrying freight and holidaymakers” would also help tackle climate change.
The Greens argue that new ferry routes could be a popular alternative to flights to Europe.
Slater (above) said: “Scotland’s journey back to Europe starts at this election, and the Scottish Greens want to see new links established from places like Rosyth, which has the advantage of already having infrastructure in place.”
She added: “This is a significant strategic investment for Scotland. Brexit has shown we need more links to Europe, with tailbacks at English ports.
“And we have a publicly owned operator ready to step up to give Scots more opportunities to get to Europe without having to fly.
READ MORE: SNP pledge to pay Scots £50,000 to stay on or move to remote island communities
“I see Scotland being at the forefront of Europe’s plans to tackle the climate emergency, and new low-carbon ferries carrying freight and holidaymakers to the continent would be a great start.”
Chapman previously said: "If the pandemic has taught us anything it should be that no idea should be off the table to reinvigorate our economy.
“Re-establishing this connection from the heart of Scotland into the heart of Europe is a hugely viable and potentially profitable opportunity."
The Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry service stopped taking commercial passengers in 2010, operating as a freight-only service until its complete closure in 2018.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel