THE Scottish Government are missing an “obvious opportunity” by not financially backing the reinstatement of a Scotland to Europe ferry, says Fife's Alba MP Neale Hanvey.

A deal to secure the new ferry route between Rosyth and the French port of Dunkirk is nearing, with the aim of reinstating the service in May.

But a progress report released last week called on the Scottish and UK governments to provide “critical” financial support.

The UK Government has said that it is a matter for Transport Scotland who say any new service “will require to be delivered on a commercial basis”.

Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath MP Neale Hanvey says he "just cannot fathom their reluctance to get behind this” and hopes to see a meeting early this year to bring together all interested parties.

“It’s not just a no brainer, it's a strategic imperative,” he said, adding that financial support was “chicken feed” compared to the potential benefit.

Dunfermline Press: Former SNP leadership contender Ash Regan (right) with Alba's Westminster leader Neale Hanvey during a photocall at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, after she defected from the SNP, becoming the Alba Party's first ever MSP. Picture date:

He went on: “You would recoup that money through tourism and economic activity several times over and the advantages that it would give to new start-ups and new businesses in some of the most disadvantaged communities in the Lothians and Fife – although not just restricted to them – would be enormous.”

Hanvey went on to say that the Scottish Government needed to take the “strategic lead” on this issue and that the route was also crucial for the prospect of an independent Scotland.

“If you are trying to build an independent Scotland and you want to have the infrastructure necessary to launch independence as soon as possible, then sea routes have got to be pretty much top of your list for an island nation,” he said.

Mr Hanvey also highlighted that the route would “decrease significantly” the amount of road haulage on the roads from Scotland down to England, improving air quality and logistics.

Scots currently need to travel down to Newcastle if they want to take a ferry to mainland Europe after the freight service between Rosyth and Zeebrugge in Belgium stopped sailing five years ago. 

He said: “Those are the winning arguments as far as the UK Government is concerned. But in terms of the Scottish part of the story, it's vital that for economic reasons – regardless of whether you are pro or against independence – that we have direct sea links into Europe.”