THE news that North Ayrshire Council and Peel Ports are going to invest, and heavily, into Ardrossan is perhaps the most welcome news the town has heard all year. 

With the black cloud of ABP and Troon hanging over our heads, many workers, business owners and locals are going into the Christmas break wondering whether this will be the last one where the people of Arran will use Ardrossan as a means of connecting to the mainland. 

The proposed investment, I believe, means we can all sleep that little bit easier and strengthens the already overwhelming case for Ardrossan, for the Three Towns and for North Ayrshire.

I am firmly in the 'Save Our Ferry' camp and personally, it has a lot of little implications from potential adverse effects it could have on businesses of family members to the fact that I have family on the island. Troon, is for want of a better phrase, at it. 

They are trying to poach of most prized possession away in the most underhand way and I have a feeling that the strong-willed, passionate and fierce people of Ardrossan will not let this happen. 

We have everything to lose. 

The people of Arran want a reliable service, this will be given with the improvements and with the new ferry which is just over half-way towards completion. 

Ardrossan is the only way for this to go but don't take it for granted, don't take it as a given and fight each and every day until we can say that our ferry is saved.