News / Ferry fares campaigner voices frustration
THE SCOTTISH Government has insisted it remains committed to cutting ferry fares in the Northern Isles after a campaigner accused the SNP administration of showing a “lack of interest” in the subject following May’s election.
Ryan Thomson of the Fair Ferry Fares Campaign, who met islands and transport minister Humza Yousaf in August, this week voiced his frustration that any new fare structure won’t be introduced until April 2018.
That is when the new North Boats contract will come into effect following a tendering process that the government, local authorities and regional transport partnerships are currently involved in drawing up.
In a letter to Shetland News, Thomson said Yousaf had promised this summer that islanders wouldn’t be left waiting “years and years” and action would be taken “sooner rather than later”.
The SNP has committed to freezing ferry fares in 2017, for a second consecutive year, with a view to finding a solution that brings the cost of sailing down.
It is now broadly accepted that a new model must be found given the Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) model introduced on west coast routes would, if applied in Shetland, result in many fares going up.
Thomson said he was still waiting on a response to a letter he sent Yousaf on 19 September asking whether the government could release the timeframe involved in reducing fares.
He accused Yousaf of showing a “lack of respect” and betraying a “clear and obvious” lack of understanding of just how important the issue is for people in Shetland and Orkney.
Nearly 3,500 people have signed Thomson’s online petition calling for cheaper ferrry fares.
“I continually get people coming up to me on the street and in the shop [Thomson owns Tagon Stores in Voe] urging me to keep going with the campaign and not be fobbed off with continuous lies and broken promises,” he said.
“I have lost count of the number of people now who have told me they genuinely can no longer afford to leave Shetland because the prices are so high. Some people simply cannot afford the £500+ trip to Aberdeen. In 2016 the fact people cannot afford an internal journey within Scotland is beyond belief.”
A Transport Scotland spokesman said work was “already underway” to honour the SNP’s commitment to cut ferry fares.
“The minister for transport and the islands commissioned a study earlier this year to look specifically at the issue of fares, with a view to bringing in a new pricing policy and ultimately reducing the cost of ferry travel as soon as possible,” the spokesman said.
“Consultants have carried out work with local stakeholders in person, online and by post, with almost 2,000 responses received so far.
“As we have said before, the Northern Isles present a number of challenges for a new fares policy. Bringing in RET in its current form would significantly increase ticket prices on the majority of services. The presence of a commercial operator on some routes also complicates matters.
“Officials will continue to engage and meet with the local councils, elected members, community groups and other key stakeholders to discuss the potential options available to us. In the meantime, ferry fares on the Northern Isles network have been frozen for 2017, the second consecutive year prices have been kept on hold.”
- Thomson has again urged islanders to add their names to the 3,414 signatories to his petition for fairer ferry fares.
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