SCOTLAND'S First Minister has been accused of "failing the people of Ardrossan and Arran" over the long-running issues affecting Ardrossan harbour.

Labour MSP Katy Clark spoke out after Mr Yousaf criticised Ardrossan Harbour owners Peel Ports for failing to "put their hands in their pockets" and repair the ailing facility.

In recent months, Peel Ports shut the harbour's Irish berth meaning only one ferry could sail from Ardrossan to Arran. There have also been major issues with the main berth, which has seen the service sail from Troon instead on numerous occasions.

Ms Clark, who represents the West Scotland region and is a former North Ayrshire and Arran MP, said: "The First Minister and his Government have failed the people of North Ayrshire and Arran.

"It’s welcome he’s broken his silence on the delays at Ardrossan Harbour, but he’s only doing so to save the SNP’s skins.

“Scottish Labour has called for the port to be brought into public ownership for many years given Peel Ports’ clear intransigence.

“It’s more than six years since upgrades to the harbour were approved. We now need to see urgent progress on the business case to upgrade the harbour, with both vessels earmarked for the route now both formally launched and set to enter operation at different points in the next year.

“We still don’t have a fresh commitment that Ardrossan will be retained as the port for the Arran service come what may. Ardrossan has been the mainland port for the service since 1834.

“The service’s relocation to Troon must be as temporary as possible. A viable long term Ardrossan-Brodick service is what islanders, ferry users and the workforce are demanding and what I’ll continue to call for.”

Read more: First Minister blasts Peel Ports over lack of Ardrossan Harbour investment

The results of a Transport Scotland business case review of the harbour redevelopment, which was first approved on April 11, 2018, but has still to start, have yet to be made public.

On a visit to Ayrshire at the weekend, the First Minister said: "We are still working really closely with the local authority and the owners of Ardrossan harbour, Peel Ports. We want to see some investment in the harbour from Peel Ports.

"Frankly, there's been not enough investment from the owners. My strong plea to them is to put money in, and the Scottish Government will seek to support that." 

North Ayrshire's SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson said: "The SNP Government has invested tens of millions of pounds in harbours and ports over the last decade, including £32 million in Brodick, which was completed in 2018.

“What makes Ardrossan different is that the Tories privatised it in 1992. The owners, Peel Ports, has failed to invest over the last three decades in their own asset, despite millions of pounds in income from harbour dues over those years."

READ MORE: Six years on, why are we still waiting for Ardrossan harbour upgrade to start?

Jim McSporran, port director of Peel Ports Clydeport responded: “To date, we have invested more than £2m of our own funds to progress the project, and yet we are no further forward than we were six years ago.

"We would be delighted to welcome the First Minister to Ardrossan to brief him fully on the matter.

“We are deeply concerned that the people served by this lifeline service are unable to plan for their future because of the lengthy delays that have affected the redevelopment to date.

"We eagerly await the conclusion of the business case review.”