News / Ferry fares announcement expected soon
AN ANNOUNCEMENT from the Scottish Government on fairer fares for the Northern Isles ferry service could be made in a matter of weeks.
Shetland Islands Council transport manager Michael Craigie told Thursday’s ZetTrans meeting in Lerwick that he believed news on the issue could come in late July or August when transport minister Humza Yousaf is expected to visit the islands.
The SNP government has repeatedly been criticised for failing to deliver on its promise of reducing fares on the publicly-funded lifeline service.
Councillor Robbie McGregor, who is a member of the SNP, told ZetTrans members that an announcement in the coming weeks was a “reasonable conclusion” to reach.
The government froze fares this year and had previously said the next opportunity to reduce prices would be in 2018.
North Isles councillor Ryan Thomson, who was appointed chairman of ZetTrans at Thursday’s meeting, said he is looking forward to a decision being reached.
Prior to becoming a councillor in May, he ran the fair ferry fares campaign, which has attracted nearly four thousand signatures so far.
“It’s been something which has been rumbling on for a while now,” Thomson said.
“I know both the SIC and the Scottish Government have been working hard behind the scenes and it would be good to get a conclusion in the near future.”
Shetland MSP Tavish Scott has also long campaigned for a cut in ferry prices after fares on Scotland’s west coast routes were cut by around 50 per cent.
The Liberal Democrat also ran an online petition, gaining over 2,400 signatures.
Officials are exploring whether the service could be provided “in-house” by the government instead of putting it out to tender.
Transport Scotland held a meeting in Shetland in May to gather local opinions on the matter.
Craigie told Thursday’s ZetTrans meeting that stakeholders were largely “agnostic” on the issue, but it was agreed that the service should give value for money and meet the needs of island communities.
He added that he felt that the government’s preferred option was to run services in-house.
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