News / New ferry timetable raises fears of logjam
SHETLAND’S new money saving ferry timetable kicked in on Monday leading to fears it will impact on the biggest summer social event in the north isles.
Meanwhile Shetland Islands Council has launched a survey into fares and discounts on the inter island service.
Shetland’s three main outer isles Yell, Unst and Whalsay are being reduced to a single ferry service at weekends as part of a £3.1 million savings programme that is reducing the ferries budget by 25 per cent.
The timetable changes also mean Yell Sound loses one of its ferries for maintenance on Monday and Wednesday mornings, cutting out four sailings on each day.
Islanders reported long queues of cars heading for the north isles building up at Toft ferry terminal on Monday morning, leading to fears the timetable changes will affect the seven day UnstFest, which starts on Sunday.
Unst community council had requested the ferry service delay its timetable changes until UnstFest ends on 14 July, but Shetland Islands Council refused.
SIC ferries resources manager Colin Manson admitted that July was the busiest month of the year for the ferries, but said the timetable changes had already been held back by one month to resolve trade union issues.
“The longer we delay implementing the changes, the longer we are not implementing the changes agreed by the council,” he said.
Unst community councillor Pat Burns said it was “unfortunate” the timetable had been changed at this time.
“There is always a lot more traffic coming into the islands when UnstFest is on, so people might find themselves facing a long queue,” she said.
The SIC ferries review resulted in 31 job losses, half of which came from crewmen resigning to take on private sector jobs.
Seven ferries staff have taken voluntary redundancy, while nine temporary contracts were not extended.
The council was praised for the level of genuine consultation that went into the ferries review, with many islanders’ suggestions being taken on board.
On Tuesday the council continued its consultation on changes to the inter island ferry service with the launch of a survey into ferry fares and discounts.
SIC development committee chairman Alastair Cooper said: “The feedback we receive will be very important when we set future fare levels and discounts.”
Survey forms can be found online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FerryFares.
Paper copies are being distributed on ferries, in local shops, public buildings and council premises throughout the isles.
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