Highland Council plan Corran Ferry ticket price rises

The ferry allows access to and from the communities of Ardgour, Morvern and Ardnamurchan

Users of the Highland Council-run Corran Ferry are facing rises in ticket prices.

The local authority has suggested increasing fees by 4% per annum in each of the next three years.

It said the rises would help it to cover the costs of operating the small car ferry on Loch Linnhe in west Lochaber.

The council's community services committee will be asked to approve the prices at a meeting on Thursday.

Highland Council's plans for the future running of the service drew criticism last year.

The local authority covers the cost of the service.

But in November it said the arrangement breached European state aid and competition rules and put potential private operators at a disadvantage.

It had sought advice from the Scottish government's state aid unit on whether its running and funding of the ferry service complied with EC regulations.

The local authority said the advice warned that there were "inherent risks attached" to the current arrangement.

It hopes Transport Scotland will take over responsibility for the Corran Ferry.

The Free Crossing for Corran campaign said in December it was seeking legal counsel.

MSP John Finnie and former Highland Council leader Dr Michael Foxley also criticised the local authority's position on the service.

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

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.