Isles demand more time on ferry cuts

SHETLAND and Orkney have asked for more time to consider cuts to the lifeline ferry service operated by state-owned shipping line NorthLink.

This month transport minister Stewart Stevenson announced that £1 million savings must be found on the service that runs between Aberdeen and Lerwick, and across the Pentland Firth between Scrabster and Stromness.

An initial £300,000 were to be found by running the Hjaltland and Hrossey on half power to save fuel, which would lengthen the seven weekly trips that go via Kirkwall by an hour and half.

The islands have been invited to come up with alternative suggestions, but the government has made it clear they want savings to be made very quickly.

Meeting on Monday via videolink, the two island councils agreed that any cuts must be designed to have the minimum impact.

Yesterday (Tuesday) both council conveners wrote to Mr Stevenson calling for more time to consider the impact alternative methods of saving money would have on the local economies.

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Orkney Islands Council convener Stephen Hagan said: “Our communities in Orkney and Shetland have had neither the information nor the time to understand and consider alternatives to these cost cutting measures.

“Although we acknowledge that there is a need to save on costs we have a real concern that the proposed reduction in service will have a knock on impact on NorthLink revenue and our local economies.”

Chair of Shetland’s transport partnership ZetTrans, councillor Iris Hawkins, added: “The Scottish government should be reminded that this is a vital lifeline service to the islands and is fundamental to sustainable business and social activity.

“Therefore the impacts of any changes in the level or the cost of the service must be thoroughly researched and evaluated to ensure any measures adopted take proper account of the needs of both Shetland and Orkney.”

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A working group comprising representatives of both councils, the government and NorthLink will meet in Edinburgh on Thursday to discuss the issue further.

Meanwhile ZetTrans has invited Shetlanders to make representations about the proposed cuts by contacting them at zettrans@shetland.gov.uk by Sunday 28 March.

Details of the changes on departure and arrival times proposed by the government are shown on the ZetTrans website at http://www.zettrans.org.uk/consultation/Northlink.asp.