Corran Ferry Replacement

[B9127]

On tonight's news on the TV there is now a discussion re a fixed link bridge or tunnel to replace the ferry - at the end they noted it could 20 years away

[Al__S]

it would need a 350-400m span (can't imagine building piers midway to be a sensible idea) high enough to allow masts of yachts that can fit through the Caledonian Canal (which currently has an "infinite" air-draught- all ten bridges across it are swing bridges, all lock gates move horizontally).

The replacement will be a new ferry.

[Euan]

There is likely to be less local opposition to a proposal like this compared to one for, say, a bridge across the Kyles of Bute for instance. Many people on Bute feel that an A886 bridge would take away the distinct island feeling that is felt on Bute, arguably similar to the Skye bridge in relation to Skye. However, in this case that argument is irrelevant as Ardgour is part of the mainland! It would certainly improve access to parts of the Morvern and Ardnamurchan peninsulas and potentially encourage more people to go to Mull via the back door. Potentially it might even reverse what could be regarded as a dependence from western Ardnamurchan towards Mull (Tobermory) due to the isolation of the area and the difficulty in reaching it via the mainland.

[Ruperts Trooper]

it would need a 350-400m span (can't imagine building piers midway to be a sensible idea) high enough to allow masts of yachts that can fit through the Caledonian Canal (which currently has an "infinite" air-draught- all ten bridges across it are swing bridges, all lock gates move horizontally).

The replacement will be a new ferry.

Not infinite - the maximum mast height in the canal is 35m but the Kessock Bridge is only 27.4m.

[Al__S]

forgot about the Kessock bridge- what else limits height? Even a 25m above high tide bridge would be a huge structure for this location

[Ruperts Trooper]

forgot about the Kessock bridge- what else limits height? Even a 25m above high tide bridge would be a huge structure for this location

There may be electricity cables over the canal - not originally of course!

[OLD GIT]

Simple solution to Corran is to build a bridge just past Corpach ( and the canal) linking to Achaphubil/Treislaig area ( Somewhere like the rear of the old Pulp Mill). Not the same height requirements, and a lot shorter ( approx half). That would sort two problems, and a decent road to the Strontian area could be a good use for the money saved. Still make the journey to Corran ,onward a bit longer, but would halve the after hours/bad weather mileage .

[KeithW]

Simple solution to Corran is to build a bridge just past Corpach ( and the canal) linking to Achaphubil/Treislaig area ( Somewhere like the rear of the old Pulp Mill). Not the same height requirements, and a lot shorter ( approx half). That would sort two problems, and a decent road to the Strontian area could be a good use for the money saved. Still make the journey to Corran ,onward a bit longer, but would halve the after hours/bad weather mileage .

In would certainly be less obtrusive. A 400 m clear span bridge at Corran would be something the size of the Tyne bridge and given the terrain the bridge approaches could be tricky. The Oban Times made the same suggestion regarding a Corpach to Achaphubil link in 2017.

[Glen]

forgot about the Kessock bridge- what else limits height? Even a 25m above high tide bridge would be a huge structure for this location

There are several transmission lines crossing the canal.

A fixed link would certainly be a major investment and would be reliant on funding from central government and/or the EU, but is something I can see happening in the next 20 to 30 years.
The current vessel would need replacing in the meantime, though.

[Glen]

A crossing at the entrance to Loch Eil is hardly worth the effort.

By the time you are there you might as well go round the head of the loch and offers little benefit to journeys to or from the south of Fort William.

[Burns]

How deep are the Corran Narrows? Either way, get the Norwegians in and they'll have it tunnelled in 5 minutes. Expect grades of 8 to 10%, though.

[OLD GIT]

At Corpach- you are halfway to Corran. So it's either spend,Pelican money to replace a ferry or build elsewhere. And I'd suspect one of the major costs might be Highland landlords ( Estates etc) , asking more than the land is worth. I mentioned a similar case a while back. A830 improvement, and had a comment on this. Family owning land tried Dutch Auction tactics to squeeze more than the land was worth. Contractor ( and someone here was an engineer on that project) decided that there was a better/cheaper way. They went round the problem.
But money saved in a lower bridge would /could be used to upgrade the road to Corran ,thus further reducing journey times, to well below that involved in summer waiting whilst the queue that decided that this was a nice day out and added to the costs of a worker , or a firms outlay. Been stuck there ,many years ago.
Burns- bit expensive- The fish at Edinburgh only have money to spend on silly projects.

[FtoE]

Not great for Ft William’s ambitions to get more cruise liners.

[The Devil's Armpit]

Seemingly it's the second busiest ferry crossing in Scotland.

A tunnel is a far better option, this would keep the canal traffic unhindered by height restrictions and
the cruise ship option for Fort William would still be available.

[OLD GIT]

DA- is that the second busiest's little ferry( as in the boat construction) ,or overall. I can only think of two others ( in that part the world , where I'm not certain of the type ( Kerrera, sp) and north, to Skye.
Depends on whether liners( can't see anything that large getting/wanting to go past Fort William. ), hence my mention of a bridge at /near Corpach, at the narrows.

[Ruperts Trooper]

DA- is that the second busiest's little ferry( as in the boat construction) ,or overall. I can only think of two others ( in that part the world , where I'm not certain of the type ( Kerrera, sp) and north, to Skye.
Depends on whether liners( can't see anything that large getting/wanting to go past Fort William. ), hence my mention of a bridge at /near Corpach, at the narrows.

Some cruise liners that fit the canal dimensions do work through to Inverness, I've watched them in Fort Augustus with literally just cm to spare.

[OLD GIT]

That was why I suggested a bridge at the rear of the old pulp mill , a good way toward loch Eil ( I'd say north, but I'd get some folks with a compass telling me I am wrong.) Dad used to live in a house where the locks at Banavie were behind his house,and I've seen first hand, and had him tell me of large vessels just fitting into the canal. The sea lock is just behind Corpach station, and Banavie is the start of the first set of lock, just past the station, rail bridge. Again , with the station just beside it, a place I saw regularly in my days commuting to school.

[Burns]

That was why I suggested a bridge at the rear of the old pulp mill , a good way toward loch Eil

Why would you bridge way up there? It would provide no relief whatsoever to the Corran ferry.

[Berk]

I’m also finding it hard to understand why a bridge would be needed. Ardnamurchan is a fairly remote part of the world.

Although it would improve access to Mallaig, the A861 would need a fair bit of widening.

[Robert Kilcoyne]

I’m also finding it hard to understand why a bridge would be needed. Ardnamurchan is a fairly remote part of the world.

Although it would improve access to Mallaig, the A861 would need a fair bit of widening.

And so would the A884 if the bridge encouraged more traffic to travel to Mull via Lochaline.