News that the Arran Ferry Action Group is considering throwing in the towel after four years of difficult and relentless campaigning is a bitter blow for Arran.
While it is entirely understandable for the committee to draw a line under its activities that continually prove to be futile and ignored by the powers-that-be, it is a great loss for the community that one of its voices may also be lost.
It may sound trite to make a comparison between a David and Goliath scenario, however, the similarities of a small, seemingly insignificant entity fighting against the might of a powerful, political, government-involved tripartite arrangement can not be ignored.
Arran Ferry Action Group has bravely and tenaciously fought against a powerful entity that is neither shamed by the scathing Neptune Report or motivated to improve by disastrous and embarrassing failures.
It is a great pity the two ferry lobbying groups did not have enough in common to merge into one powerful voice speaking on behalf of all islanders, but we can only hope that if Arran Ferry Action Group does cease, the people behind the remarkable impetus of the group add their voices to the remaining Arran Ferry Committee or the Ferries Community Board.