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SEStran disappointed at demise of Kirkcaldy – Edinburgh Hovercraft project

Date: 09th December 2011

SEStran regrets that the project to develop a hovercraft service from Kirkcaldy to Portobello will not now go ahead

SEStran gave financial backing to Stagecoach’s trial hovercraft service in 2007. This revealed that a customer base, and considerable public enthusiasm, existed for the development of such a service. It had the potential to make a significant contribution towards getting commuters from Fife to Edinburgh faster than is possible by car, and to take a significant amount of traffic off the roads.

SEStran Chair, Russell Imrie, said :

“SEStran regrets the demise of the project, which we believe would have been a valuable addition to the options available to commuters travelling between Fife and Edinburgh”.

“The Forth can and should be viewed as a thoroughfare, not as an obstacle, and SEStran is committed to developing options that will enable the estuary to play a key role in the development of a sustainable transportation system for the region”.

“SEStran provided significant financial backing for the hovercraft trial project in 2007 and this was an unqualified success.”.

“We note that Stagecoach has indicated a continuing interest in ferry services across the Forth beweeen Burntisland and Granton and we hope to work with them to make these a reality in the future.

END

For further information contact:

Andrew Dougal, SEStran Communications Officer

T: 0131-524-5161

M: 07889-010-291

E: Andrew.dougal@sestran.gov.uk

ENDS

SEStran - South East of Scotland Transport Partnership - is one of seven new Statutory Regional Transport Partnerships (RTP) created by the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005 and is currently the secretariat to the seven chairs of the RTPs.