In ukdj today:
“The facilities at Ardrossan have not been maintained to an acceptable standard,” stated Duncan Mackison, Interim Chief Executive of CalMac, in the submission. He detailed the “continuing deterioration” of the Ardrossan berths, emphasising that the lack of investment has significantly impacted the operation and safety of ferry services. Over the past decade, CalMac has paid a staggering £15,480,000 in fees for the use of the berths, split into berthing and traffic dues. Despite this substantial outlay, the necessary reinvestment in harbour maintenance appears lacking argue the ferry firm.
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/calmac-criticise-peel-ports-harbour-maintenance/
Where does that money go?
Peel Ports Group Ltd are the statutory harbour authority and owner of Ardrossan harbour, and are responsible for day to day management of the port; including the delivery of the marine and landside infrastructure of the project.
Who owns Peel Group?
John Whittaker (born 14 March 1942) is a British billionaire. He is chairman of the Peel Group, a property business that mainly invests in North West England. According to The Sunday Times Rich List in 2019, Whittaker is worth £1.95 billion.
How much tax does he pay on that £15 million?
The tycoon is a director of an astonishing 312 companies, according to Companies House. Almost all are Peel Group subsidiaries, which include interests in Liverpool, Durham and Doncaster airports, the Manchester Ship Canal, Scottish ports, and docks along the banks of the River Mersey.
The labyrinthine nature of the Peel Group’s corporate structure means it is difficult to say how much tax it pays to HM Revenue and Customs.
In June [2013], the MPs made a visit to the premises and the committee chair Margaret Hodge said the Peel Group was not contributing enough to the Inland Revenue, claiming the group paid a maximum average of 10 per cent corporation tax. “They do not pay their fair share,” she said.
For more on how Peel exerts political influence, see:
Talking-up Scotland / Scottish media fact checking is like shooting fish in a barrel 
Imagine the outcry from The Usual Suspects if this port was owned and run by The Scottish Government !
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I don’t suppose we will get Lab/Tories or libs complaining about it its not a SNP bad story.Maybe RS will have it on the news tonight with one of their shower standing on the pier…..did you all get the joke BBC Scotland reporting a story like this,no chance.
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Build more public berths. £10,000 a night to dock in some harbours.
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We need back from Peel (in is various guises) what was given to it.
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IIRC, Ardrossan was to be modified to take the Sannox, but Peel had not expedited a while back, which was why an alternative berth was developed – Given the political propaganda game over FMEL, ferry-stories, etc., I’m in little doubt as to the chicanery of the wealthy individuals involved.
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