The possibility of BOTH services going into operation is still on the cards – a hovercraft from Kirkcaldy, and a ferry from Burntisland.

The plans to set sail across the Forth came as Stagecoach announced a £14m funding packet to put two hovercrafts on the route from Invertiel to Portobello.

The company and hovercraft manufacturers, the Bland Group, have coughed up £7m each – and the company now wants to establish a permanent service.

Their plans will be outlined at a public meeting in the Philp Hall, Links Street next month.

Steve Walker, operations director with Stagecoach East Scotland, said they envisaged crossings every 25 minutes at peak times and an hourly off-peak service with hovercrafts equipped to carry 150 passengers.

Detailed environmental impact studies have already been carried out, and they plan to use Stagecoach's former bus depot at Invertiel as a terminal.

The service, which is expected to attract 870,000 passengers a year when fully established, would have fast shuttle bus links to Ocean Terminal in Leith and Waverley Bridge in the centre of the city.

Mr Walker said: "We believe it is important to maintain the momentum behind the project. Securing planning permission is critical element and we will be looking to progress this while continuing our discussions with the local authorities and SEStran.''

He added: "We remain 100 per cent committed to the hovercraft link. We have had huge support for the project on both sides of the Forth and we look forward to outlining our plans to the local communities."

This week Council officials stressed there was no preferred option for a Forth crossing.

The comments came as they agreed a tendering process with City of Edinburgh Council, SESTran and Forth Ports Authority.

Councillor Tony Martin said: "I am hopeful that we will be able to commence work soon to make a cross Forth passenger service a reality.''

On Stagecoach's multi-million £ funding announcement, he said: "I understand that the funding ... will cover the majority of the project costs, but it is unclear to what extent these would include the infrastructure required on each side of the Forth, and any operating subsidy that might be necessary, particularly off peak.

"We have £1m committed for a cross Forth ferry/overcraft, and are really optimistic that the service will come to fruition."