News / Ferry fares are forcing people off the isles
SOME people living on Shetland’s outer isles can no longer afford the ferry fares to and from the mainland, it was claimed on Wednesday.
Bressay and Lerwick north councillor Caroline Miller said the recent 15 per cent hike in ferry fares has forced some islanders to leave their cars on the mainland and travel as foot passengers between their home and work place.
Speaking at the first meeting of the new environment and transport committee, Mrs Miller said she had counted 12 cars from “Bressay folk” on Tuesday night parked on the Lerwick side of the five minute crossing to the island.
A return trip for a car with driver currently costs £9.60 on the ferries between Bressay, Whalsay and Yell and the Shetland mainland.
She said commuting by ferry had become unaffordable. Her comments were echoed by the council’s political leader, Whalsay resident Josie Simpson, who said the fare increase had driven people off the island.
Mrs Miller said: “We are delivering an unaffordable transport service on ferries. That is not good enough, and we are sitting here strategising.”
She said the local authority was still miles away from coming up with an integrated, effective, affordable and efficient transport system.
Mr Simpson said Whalsay was at breaking point with the current ferries Linga and Hendra unable to deal with the traffic.
Their comments came in response to councillors’ frustration with the snail pace of progress on a “new model for ferry provision”, which they were told would take 18 months to complete.
“We cannot afford the service we have and 18 months is a long time. We will run out of money shortly,” councillor Betty Fullerton said.
Meanwhile the committee was told that prices for marine diesel have risen more sharply than anticipated, leading to an estimated shortfall of around £630,000 for this financial year.
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