Transport minister agrees to ADS meeting
SCOTTISH transport minister Keith Brown has agreed to have an urgent meeting with the leaders of the three islands councils about the air discount scheme (ADS).
Josie Simpson, from Shetland Islands Council, will join Stephen Hagan of Orkney and Angus Campbell of the western isles to raise concerns about the removal of business travel from the scheme in April.
In a letter to the council leaders agreeing to a meeting, Mr Brown said the 40 per cent discount scheme was designed to provide “social support for individual scheme members”.
It was not aimed at helping private companies and the public and voluntary sector, he said.
The government has agreed to approach the European Commission for further clarification about the rules for ADS.
The three island authorities say that the scheme has saved them a combined total of £1 million over the past three years.
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