AT the end of September, I had the opportunity to ask the cabinet secretary for transport if there was any anticipated date upon which action could be taken to reopen the Irish berth at Ardrossan harbour.

Her response, which was equally predictable as it was disappointing, revealed no date nor any promised course of action.

This disappointment is clearly shared by many Ardrossan residents, my email inbox will testify to that.

Residents raise many legitimate points and concerns regarding the continued closure of the Irish berth, ranging from the over seven years of broken promises made by the Scottish Government to invest in the harbour, to the very real threat of ferry services to Arran being permanently based in Troon; as well as the continued lack of progress between Peel Ports, North Ayrshire Council and the Scottish Government to come together and forge a path forward.

Just last week I spoke in a debate on Ardrossan Harbour in Holyrood. I stressed the very real level of frustration felt by island commuters who now experience less reliable ferry services and more inconvenient public transport links when they reach the mainland.

I highlighted the anxiety felt by many local business owners in Ardrossan who continually worry about the future as ferry traffic is drawn further away from their town.

I also expressed the genuine outrage felt by myself and fellow opposition MSPs on the Scottish Government’s constant strategy to distance itself from the ongoing crisis at Ardrossan Harbour and deflect from making any sort of decision as to its future.

Ardrossan needs certainty and honesty about the future of its harbour – that much is clear. I will continue to work with all MSPs and stakeholders to keep Ardrossan Harbour as the main port of call for ferry travel between the Isle of Arran and the mainland.

A ray of good news for transport across North Ayrshire is that the full train timetable for services across the region have now been restored.

I join many of my Holyrood colleagues in expressing relief that this summer’s pay disputes for rail workers has now come to an end and that rail services for all of North Ayrshire should soon return to normal.

Unfortunately, this comes at a time where ticket prices have risen sharply due to the Scottish Government scrapping its all-day off-peak fare scheme. I understand that this scheme helped many working Scots who are reliant on rail travel for their daily commute and felt some respite amid a continued cost of living crisis.

Although the long-term sustainability of the off-peak fare scheme was always in question, I believe that making train travel cheaper and more reliable for working Scots should remain a top priority for the Scottish Government.

I will continue to work with all my parliamentary colleagues to deliver a more sustainable and high-quality service across Scotland’s rail network.