REID WELCOMES EU'S CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH FOR ISLAND FERRY SERVICES

Commenting on the report by the European Commission which concluded that the tendering process for the CalMac island ferry services was within EU state aid rules, Alan Reid, Liberal Democrat MP for Argyll & Bute said,

"I welcome the EU report which gives a clean bill of health to the tendering process for the island routes undertaken by the Liberal Democrat Transport Ministers in the 2003/07 Scottish Executive..

"The EU have accepted the SNP Government’s decision to launch a tender for the Dunoon-Gourock route later this year with the successful operator taking over from CalMac before June 2011.

“The SNP must now commit to a tendering process for the Gourock to Dunoon route which will result in an unrestricted passenger and vehicle service on that route.”