News / Drydock arrangements Tavish’s fault, says minister
SCOTTISH transport minister Keith Brown has hit back at Shetland MSP Tavish Scott after the LibDem politician had accused the government of playing politics with the islands’ lifeline ferry service.
Mr Scott had written to Mr Brown calling on him to provide a replacement ferry to ensure daily ferry sailings from Shetland while the NorthLink ferries are in drydock during a nine week period in early 2012.
But Mr Brown responded by saying that it had been Tavish Scott himself who, as transport minister in 2006, had signed off the drydock agreements as part of the six-year contract between NorthLink Ferries and Scottish Ministers.
The extended drydock period in 2012 is because all three vessels – Hjaltland, Hrossey and Hamnavoe – are now ten years old and, under UK government regulations, are required to undergo a five-yearly overhaul.
Mr Brown added that Mr Scott was wrong in claiming that a replacement ferry would have cost as little as £250,000.
That amount would just have paid for a three week period when one of the two Shetland vessels will relocate to the Pentland Firth to stand in for the drydock period of the Hamnavoe, Transport Scotland said.
The minister said: “The 2012 drydock period will be nine weeks from late January to late March.
“Transport Scotland officials have worked with NorthLink to explore whether we could bring in an additional vessel at an affordable cost.
“However, the lowest net cost to cover this full nine-week period was £600,000 and regrettably, given the pressure on the Scottish government’s budget it has not been possible to provide an additional ship within current spending constraints imposed by the UK government.”
In his letter to the minister, Mr Scott said he said he had been inundated with concerns from islanders, including the local haulage industry, the seafood sector, farmers and crofters, a local supermarket and the general public.
He further said that the government received £7 million in extra income from NorthLink thanks to increased traffic; but the government responded by saying that the service was still heavily subsidised.
“Local people, businesses and the entire Shetland economy simply won’t understand the Scottish Government’s stance and I am writing to the minister asking him to review a bad decision,” Mr Scott said.
Mr Brown added: “NorthLink will be providing a daily freight service to support in particular the needs of the Shetland aquaculture sector and I have also asked NorthLink to review its contingency plans for weather disruption during the drydock period.
“I have also agreed with NorthLink that they will provide additional passenger sailings to meet expected demand during Up Helly Aa, and will continue to review means of providing further additional sailings.”
On Thursday evening, Mr Scott said: “So, the Scottish government do accept that they could fund a replacement ferry. There is no contract, financial or legal impediment, to giving Shetland the nightly service we need during the refit period.
“Instead of always blaming someone else, the Government should do the right thing and deliver a nightly lifeline service.”
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