Transport / Islanders travelling alone on NorthLink using their travel vouchers are discriminated against, Labour claims
The party demands major changes and says travelling on the ferries can be ‘unsafe’
THE LOCAL Labour party branch has added its voice to the ongoing concern around the lack of shared cabins and the way government funded travel vouchers are being used on board the NorthLink vessels.
In a letter to transport secretary Fiona Hyslop and Serco NorthLink managing director Stuart Garrett the party branch described journeys on board the ferries as “unsafe” in many cases due to the “lack of proper sleeping accommodation”.
It calls on the transport secretary to ensure that shared cabins are reintroduced as an option and that Shetland travellers eligible for four trip vouchers should have cabin accommodation included per voucher.
The party also wants the widely disliked pods to be replaced by separate male and female dormitories with bunks. In the short term the pod lounges should be separated on a gender basis, the branch said.
This follows on from a harrowing experience a young woman travelling on the ferry in September this year. Shetland News reported on her ordeal at the time
‘It was absolutely insane’ – woman pledges to avoid pod lounges after all-night ordeal
The party’s local secretary Gordon Thomson wrote: “The much-vaunted pods in mixed dormitories are insecure, threatening – especially to solo female travellers – and extremely uncomfortable.
“Too few cabins are available, and the booking system encourages advance ‘holding’ bookings that are often cancelled at the last minute. This is inefficient and unacceptable.
“People are choosing to sleep on the floor but a good night’s sleep is never going to be possible. Those facing long drives next day are being put at serious risk.
Thomson added: “Sharing of cabins by solo travellers is not officially allowed, and that means that Shetland residents travelling alone with concessions and using Scottish Government travel vouchers are having to use all four of their vouchers to secure cabin accommodation for one return trip, or pay extra for exclusive use of cabins.
“This is inefficient and unacceptable. It seems to illustrate an intrinsic bias against Shetland residents with concessions.”
The full letter can be found here.
In September last year NorthLink chief Garrett spoke to Shetland News about the issue of shared cabins.
He also said NorthLink was comfortable with passengers finding fellow travellers to share a cabin with, as this would then be “their responsibility” rather than that of the company.
There is a well-used Facebook group where people can either offer spare beds in their cabin, or look for a bunk.
Government agency Transport Scotland has been contacted for comment.
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