Ferry between Capital and Fife on the water next year

A FERRY service between Edinburgh and Fife could be up and running by late 2009, transport chiefs predicted today.

Officials have ordered detailed designs to be drawn up for the harbour infrastructure needed for a 75-passenger service between Burntisland and Granton.

These designs should be ready by the autumn, with work starting by April next year if the scheme wins all of its funding and planning permissions.

The news comes just days after transport giant Stagecoach said it was stopping work on its planned hovercraft service between Kirkcaldy and Leith until it got clarification on what public funding is available to support the scheme.

The 20-minute Burntisland to Granton link would require around £3.4 million of public cash in order to build pontoons, reception facilities and car parks.

Around half the cash has been committed in principle by both Fife and Edinburgh councils.

The ferries would be built and operated by a private operator, but, crucially, a wider feasibility study by regional transport body Sestran published last year has shown the service would not require further public subsidy.

Dr Bob McLellan, Fife Council's head of transport, said he was confident the service would be up and running by late 2009 or early 2010.

He added: "We have taken a very methodical approach to the ferry project and we are on target with our development and design timescales.

"We are currently putting together a budget for infrastructure costs – and we are confident that potential operators will come forward to provide the services.

"In no way should anyone see the ferry as an alternative to the hovercraft."

The ferry service, which has won favour because of its fast turnaround times, would take around 20 minutes to cross the Firth of Forth.

Stagecoach this week stopped work on the hovercraft service until it gets answers over what public money the proposed Leith-Kirkcaldy service would receive.

The Perth-based firm has pledged to put £10.3m into the scheme, but is looking for a public sector subsidy of £3.3m over the first three years to build jetties and waiting rooms.

Alex Macaulay, partnership director of Sestran, said he was excited to see the ferry project moving forward.

He said: "This project is starting to look like it is a runner – it will require some level of public funding but it won't need a subsidy."

A ferry service operated between Burntisland and Granton in the early 1990s, but stopped due to dwindling passenger numbers.

The Spirit of Fife catamaran carried 99,000 passengers in its first year in 1991, but this fell away to under 60,000 by 1993 and the service was no longer viable.