Easter Ross investment: 'Fantastic to see'
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Work which will help the Nigg-Cromarty ferry provide an improved service is now complete.
The project is one of three tourism infrastructure projects in Highland which have now been signed off thanks to support from the Scottish Government’s Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund (RTIF) and LEADER funding.
Work on the slipways at Cromarty and Nigg has been carried out in response to a 30 per cent increase in traffic on the ferry. Cromarty Community Development Trust wanted to provide improved slipways for the Cromarty-Nigg ferry to protect the lifeline service and make the slips big enough to cater for a larger ferry that can take up to 16 cars and larger vehicles such as motorhomes.
A £300,000 RTIF grant was awarded and split between the slipways and the Cromarty campsite project to cater for the increasing number of motorhomes. £210,654 was allocated for the slipways.
The project is match funded by Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Highland Council, Beatrice Windfarm Fund, Wakelin Trust, Aberdeen University, Global Energy, Cromarty Community Development Trust and Nigg Community Council.
Easter Ross area committee chairwoman, Councillor Fiona Robertson, said: “I am thrilled the slipway project has been completed. Investment of this kind in Easter Ross is fantastic to see and will help the area become more resilient when dealing with the thousands of visitors who visit the area every year.”
Also benefitting from RTIF and LEADER funding is a £385,600 project to provide additional parking at Glenfinnan for 100 cars and 10 motorhomes/buses in response to demand placed on the area by fans of the Harry Potter films to the viaduct and the steam train, with additional funding of £53,704 from the RTIF and matching crowdfunding to create a new footbridge and path linking the new car park to the existing path to the viaduct.
A further £184,508 in funding from the RTIF also enabled The Old Man of Storr Footpath Improvement Project designed to enhance visitor access at the Skye landmark.
Chris Taylor, VisitScotland regional leadership director, said: “Tourism has been a huge success story for the Highlands, creating jobs in rural communities and helping underpin vital services. We need the infrastructure to keep pace with that growth and I am delighted that RTIF has allowed VisitScotland, working with our partners the Highland Council, to respond to calls for additional and improved infrastructure across Scotland.
“RTIF aims to help improve the visitor experience in a way that provides benefit for local communities and creates a more collaborative and sustainable approach to infrastructure provision.
“We are expecting to be able to announce the successful round three RTIF funding recipients soon, demonstrating a strong commitment from the Scottish Government to this essential infrastructure project.”
