Airport carpark consultation

SHETLAND MSP has predicted that a consultation into bringing in car parking charges at Sumburgh airport will return a resounding opposition to the proposals.

Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd have said they want to start charging people to park their vehicles at all of the Scottish island airports to help them make up for the cut in government funding.

However islanders have argued that the air service is a lifeline for them and they should not be penalised for living in remote parts of the country.

HIAL chairman Greville Johnston is writing to all three airport consultative committees in Shetland, Orkney and the western isles with details of their consultation plans.

Mr Scott said: “The only positive part of this news is the acceptance that they have to consult on their plans. They at last accept that they cannot bulldoze them through without consultation as they wanted to do – they have, after all, already erected the barriers at Kirkwall airport.

“It is very disappointing however that they have not dropped the plans altogether. At the meeting I set up in Shetland last Monday, Mr Johnston was left in no doubt of the depth of the opposition in Shetland to this additional charge on the cost of using our lifeline air services.

“Mr Johnston and his board should be in no doubt that their belated consultation will receive just as strong a response. I have no doubt that from across Shetland the response to the plans will be a loud ‘No’.”