Transport / Peak ferry fares for islanders set to be scrapped by Scottish Government
PEAK FERRY fares are set to be scrapped for islanders on the Northern Isles ferries by the Scottish Government.
Islanders will instead pay the low season fare all year-round, starting from April this year, if the Scottish Government’s latest budget is approved.
The move comes after pressure from SNP election candidate Hannah Mary Goodlad, who called for Shetlanders to be exempt from the current seasonal pricing at the SNP’s conference in Aberdeen last October.
Year-round low season fares was one of the main things locals asked Transport Scotland for during a consultation on the Northern Isles ferry service last year.
The Scottish Government has now said it will scrap peak fares for islanders, in a move believed to cost £5.4 million over the next three years.
In 2026/27 the investment will equate to £1.8 million.
A family of four booking a ferry during the summer, with a cabin and a car, will save £278 as a result of the move.
Goodlad said she was pleased that the Scottish Government had made the decision to remove the peak fare for islanders.
“For far too long Shetlanders have got a poor deal and this is the first step towards getting the kind of lifeline ferry service we deserve,” she said.
“While I have lobbied hard for this change, I want to thank everyone who contacted me with their experiences of travelling on the ‘north boat’.
“This has been a joint effort – your voices and stories made our demands impossible to ignore.”
Transport Scotland said it will now work with operator Serco NorthLink on the detail and timing of the change, which will be confirmed in due course.
Cabinet secretary for transport Fiona Hyslop said that “by removing mid and peak seasonal fares for islanders, we are continuing to invest in making ferry travel more affordable and saving people money”.
“Alongside continued funding for vessel replacements, including procurement for two new freight flex vessels to serve the Northern Isles, this will help us ensure that these lifeline ferry links continue to deliver for the communities they serve for years to come,” she added.
The Scottish Government is also understood to still be considering reserving a quota of cabins and vehicle space aboard NorthLink ferries for islanders.
Goodlad pledged to “keep the pressure on” in order to achieve this.
Other political figures also claimed credit for the Scottish Government’s decision to scrap peak fares for islanders.
Green candidate Alex Armitage said he had first raised the issue at the Shetland External Transport Forum over a year ago, and that Green MSP Ariane Burgess had also brought it up at Holyrood.
He welcomed the news, adding: “The peak fare structure is an appropriate one for managing a tourist service for visitors, but is completely inappropriate for a lifeline ferry service.
“I’m glad that the Scottish Government have recognised this in removing the peak fares for island residents.”
Orkney MSP Liam McArthur also claimed credit for the abolition, saying he had called on the government to scrap peak fares previously.
“I welcome the commitment given in today’s budget,” McArthur said.
“These are lifeline services for islanders, and having scrapped peak fares on ScotRail services, it is only right that the Scottish Government match this commitment for our publicly funded Northern Isles ferry routes.”
The SNP candidate is one of five confirmed to be standing for Shetland’s constituency seat in the Scottish elections in May.
The candidates are, in alphabetical order: Alex Armitage (Green), John Erskine (Labour), Hannah Mary Goodlad (SNP), Emma Macdonald (Liberal Democrats), Brian Nugent (Sovereignty).
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