A UK city could become the second place in the world to run a timetabled hovercraft service in what officials have described as an "exciting" development. Plans to introduce a hovercraft service between the ports of Fife and Edinburgh in Scotland have been under consideration for decades and was first proposed back in 2007. A short-lived project to connect Kirkcaldy and Portobello Beach was scrapped in 2011 amid funding concerns, but local authorities have now resurrected the idea and launched a feasibility study into providing the futuristic transport model for residents and holidaymakers.

It would mark the second timetabled hovercraft service in the UK and the world, alongside the Isle of Wight link with Southsea in Portsmouth, which launched back in 1965. However, the service has faced financial setbacks due to a downturn in passenger numbers since the COVID-19 pandemic and rising operational costs - potentially casting a shadow over the future of its Scottish equivalent.

Officials have seemed optimistic about the prospect of resurrecting the scheme, however, with a spokesperson emphasising Fife Council's keenness to "re-explore the possibility" of the amphibious transport method, which would hover on a cushion of pressurised air while crossing the North Sea.

"We ran some workshops last week to review the evidence from the previous study and the pilot that was done in 2008/9, looking at what has changed since then," they added.

"We'll be discussing the findings and any potential plans at a future meeting of the area committee."

Hovertravel, the company behind the Isle of Wight's long-running service announced a review of its "timetable, staffing levels and rostering across all departments" in December.

The firm previously revealed that it had faced "significant challenges" from a fall in footfall that hadn't sufficiently recovered since a dip during lockdown, the Isle of Wight County Press reported.

Hovertravel's vessel has proven a quick way of zipping to and from Portsmouth, beating other ferry routes by completing the journey in just 10 minutes. However, hovercrafts can be more expensive to run than their alternatives, due to high fuel consumption, the costs of specialised infrastructure and complex mechanics that require regular maintenance.