Viking bus station to close

THE VIKING bus station with its rural freight centre is set to close in a bid to save Shetland Islands Council almost £80,000 per annum.

Councillors will on Friday debate a report by transport operations team leader David Polson who recommends closure of the well used Lerwick facility.

They will also be asked to approve putting the building on the market to either sell or lease it.

In his report he said officials had thoroughly reviewed the various saving options for the centre but only closure would satisfy the council’s massive saving targets.

One full time and one part time job will be lost.

The report highlights that the vast majority of the freight handled at the centre was commercial and that “in effect the council is running a subsidised distribution centre for the commercial freight industry”.

However, councillors will be asked to approve relocating the functions of the freight centre to the SIC’s Gremista depot and increase current charges of 20p per item to fully commercial rates.

Should hauliers not wish to pay increased charges or run the service for themselves, the council would withdraw from it, the report said.