First foot passenger charge approved for Corran Ferry

A foot passenger fare will be introduced for the first time on Europe's busiest single-vessel car ferry.

Highland Council said a £2 charge could generate £20,000 a year on its Corran Ferry service in Lochaber.

The crossing of Loch Linnhe's Corran Narrows carries about 10,000 foot passengers alongside 270,000 cars and 11,000 commercial vehicles each year.

The council's economy and infrastructure committee approved the new fare, saying it would "contribute to the sustainability of this vital transport link".

The fare will only apply to passengers aged 23 to 60 years old.

The charge will come into effect in the summer and will include cyclists, although there will be no extra charge for the bicycle.

Councillors previously agreed to a 10% increase on vehicle fares in March.

The crossing links the wider Lochaber area with communities in the Ardnamurchan peninsula in the west.

The alternative journey by road around Loch Linnhe takes about two hours.