THE Scottish Greens have said they want to work with ferry bosses at Calmac to set up new links between Scotland and Europe.

The party believes publicly owned services could run from places such as Rosyth, which has previously had ferry links with Europe.

The news follows calls from SNP MP Douglas Chapman, who last year called for the ferry from Rosyth to Belgium to be reinstated in order to bypass the “shambles” created by Brexit in the south-east of England.

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Green co-leader Lorna Slater also pointed to export troubles caused by Brexit, saying tailbacks linked to exiting the bloc had shown there was a need for more ways of getting to the continent.

She added that having “new low-carbon ferries carrying freight and holidaymakers” would also help tackle climate change.

The Greens argue that new ferry routes could be a popular alternative to flights to Europe.

The National:

Slater (above) said: “Scotland’s journey back to Europe starts at this election, and the Scottish Greens want to see new links established from places like Rosyth, which has the advantage of already having infrastructure in place.”

She added: “This is a significant strategic investment for Scotland. Brexit has shown we need more links to Europe, with tailbacks at English ports.

“And we have a publicly owned operator ready to step up to give Scots more opportunities to get to Europe without having to fly.

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“I see Scotland being at the forefront of Europe’s plans to tackle the climate emergency, and new low-carbon ferries carrying freight and holidaymakers to the continent would be a great start.”

Chapman previously said: "If the pandemic has taught us anything it should be that no idea should be off the table to reinvigorate our economy.

“Re-establishing this connection from the heart of Scotland into the heart of Europe is a hugely viable and potentially profitable opportunity."

The Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry service stopped taking commercial passengers in 2010, operating as a freight-only service until its complete closure in 2018.