Further Corran Ferry fare rises could be suspended

The ferry operates on Loch Linnhe in Lochaber

Highland councillors are to be asked at a meeting next Thursday to suspend further increases in fares on the Corran Ferry until November.

Local authority officers have said the delay would give staff and councillors time to assess the results of a study into the effect of previous cost rises.

Annual inflationary increases of 4% were applied on 1 April 2013 and again last month.

A 30p increase was also added to the cost of trips on 1 November last year.

Highland Council said the increases were needed to cover losses of more than £170,000 on the route. The local authority runs the ferry service.

However, members of the communities the ferry serves have been campaigning against rising costs.

The Corran Ferry allows access to and from the communities of Ardgour, Morvern and Ardnamurchan via a narrow stretch of Loch Linnhe in Lochaber.

It is also used by people and businesses on Mull, who first travel to the mainland on the Fishnish-Lochaline ferry.

The Corran Ferry and Fishnish-Lochaline services also offer tourists an alternative to the Oban to Mull ferry.