News / New ferry service will be delivered on time – Swinney
THE SCOTTISH government has reiterated its confidence that the new contracts for the lifeline northern isles ferry services will be in place by July 2012 as planned.
Responding to a challenge from Shetland MSP Tavish Scott, finance minister John Swinney told the Scottish parliament on Wednesday afternoon that the government had timetabled “to deliver on that”.
Mr Scott had raised the issue in response to growing concern from the northern isles as to the time it takes the government to publish the tender specifications.
Mr Swinney said: “I hope this will reassure Mr Scott. I understand that the minister of housing and transport has already expressed that view to Mr Scott, but I hope he will take some reassurance from the reiteration of that point.”
Current ferry operator NorthLink has now stopped accepting any booking beyond July 2012 as the envisaged timetable as well as fare structure is unknown yet.
NorthLink has also said it would not attend the World Trade Market fair to sell Orkney and Shetland to tour operators.
Islanders in the northern isles are also concerned about the implications of the government’s intentions to tender the Pentland First crossing separate from the Shetland to Orkney to Aberdeen route.
Mr Scott said he will discuss these issues with representatives from the aquaculture industry who gather at the Shetland Hotel on Thursday for a conference on how climate change affects coastal communities and economies.
Speaking after the debate in the parliament, Mr Scott said the tight timetable for the retendering would mean that both island communities would only have a very short period of time to be consulted on the new service.
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