FRESH shots have been fired in the bitter row over the proposed transfer of one of Scotland's most popular ferry routes.

Associated British Ports (ABP), which is vying with Ardrossan to run the vital link to Arran, have claimed that islanders face "constant delay and disruption" with nearly 300 cancellations on their rival's route.

ABP are lobbying Scottish Government Ministers to agree to switch ports to Troon further south, and say that this will make ferry services more reliable.

However, the claims have been disputed by North Ayrshire Council, who are backing the retention of the route.

A statement released by ABP warned that ferry users face "misery" on the current route, with 298 cancelled sailings in the 12 months leading up to June 2016, compared to 253 in the previous year.

The figures were reported to the Isle of Arran Ferry Committee and have been are equivalent to one in 16 crossings being abandoned, frequently at short notice.

ABP said that the current route's record was "dismal", adding its performance compared poorly with Troon, where P&O’s service to Larne in Northern Ireland saw just five cancellations a year.

The company went on to highlight Troon's north-facing harbour, which it said shelters the ferry terminal and allows vessels to berth in most conditions - despite a CalMac ferry striking the harbour wall last month after being sent there for repairs.

The port company has said it will invest £8 million in brand new facilities at the port of Troon, and to donate £50,000 every year to good causes on Arran if it wins the bid.

Stuart Cresswell, Manager of ABP’s Ports of Troon and Ayr, said: “These figures underline that not only is reliability currently poor at Ardrossan but it is getting worse.

"The arrival of the new, bigger vessels that are now under construction will only make cancellations rise still further.

“Troon would deliver a transformation in the reliability of service as well as brand new facilities and at no cost to the taxpayer. Our offer represents a better deal for the people of Arran and the Scottish Government.”

The row over the ownership of the route has led to angry exchanges between the two camps, and saw the installation of a webcam at Troon harbour in a bid to prove it had calmer waters.

Campaigners hoping to keep the route in Ardrossan have claimed it would cost the taxpayer £166million to move it to Troon, with the taxpayer picking up costs of £5.5m every year for the next 30 years.

In their submission to the Scottish Government, the local authority and owners of Ardrossan port said that the significantly longer distance between Troon and Arran would also result in longer journey times, higher fares and fewer sailings.

North Ayrshire Council Leader, Joe Cullinane, took aim at ABP's statement "wild allegations", saying: "These wild allegations show a level of desperation emerging in ABP’s fight to poach the ferry from Ardrossan to Troon.

"The cancellation figures quoted by ABP are nonsensical and conveniently fail to mention the Troon to Larne ferry only sailed once or twice a day for just four months in the summer, so missed all the winter weather.

"In addition, a huge proportion of the cancelled Arran sailings were due to technical issues with the ferry. They’re comparing apples with elephants."

He added: "Their claim that the ferry had to seek ‘safe harbour’ in Troon in January is risible – it got stuck against the harbour wall at Troon by high winds and had to be towed off by a tug!

"In any event, CalMac have since confirmed the ferry was being taken to Troon for a repair – not for ‘safe harbour’ as claimed by ABP.

"The truth is that Ardrossan to Brodick offers the shortest, fastest and cheapest crossing to Arran and that the number of sailings for islanders and visitors would be cut by 20 per cent if it moved to Troon."