‘Incredibly disruptive’: Frustration in North Isles about ferries and roadworks
PEOPLE travelling to Shetland’s North Isles are being hit by an “incredibly disruptive” lack of ferries serving the Yell and Bluemull Sound routes.
Both routes have been running to single ferry timetables – with bookings suspended – in recent days because of disruption caused by drydocking and a fault on the Daggri.
Adding to the frustration in the North Isles, ongoing roadworks in the North Mainland are meaning drivers are having to set off even earlier for a ferry they might not even get on.
Yell Community Council chairwoman Annette Jamieson said it was an exasperating situation for all involved – and strengthened calls for fixed links to Yell and Unst.
She said people’s plans were being disrupted daily, with early morning and teatime crossings “problematic” due to the increased demand.
It comes amid more calls for Shetland Islands Council to deliver a new ferry, with the possibility of a relief vessel being delivered in the coming years.
However Jamieson said she believed the new ferry “remains a distant aspiration”.
Whenever Yell Sound goes down to one vessel, it is incredibly disruptive for all users,” she told Shetland News.
“Recently there have been disruptions on Yell Sound due to lack of crew and now due to mechanical failure.
“Travellers have requested that bookings are available whenever possible due to travelling for work, appointments or onward connections. This impacts on those who cannot make bookings due to all ferries already being fully booked.
“Ferries are busier due to only one vessel operating and often folk’s plans are disrupted. They either don’t travel if they cannot make bookings or have a longer time to wait.”
She said this time of year was thankfully not as busy as the spring and summer months, when more tourists are visiting the isles.
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But she added that there were still peak points during the day, with morning and teatime ferries often crammed full and with some drivers having to wait longer to leave or get home.
And to add to the strain, there is expected to be an influx of people into Unst on Friday for this year’s Uyeasound Up Helly Aa.
With the Bluemull Sound route also down to a single vessel timetable, Jamieson said that onward travel from Yell to Unst or Fetlar was “even more complicated and disruptive”.
“North Isles travellers have also been inconvenienced by the ongoing road works on the Mainland, and disruption on the ferries add to their frustration,” the Yell Community Council chairwoman added.
She said that the future aspiration was fixed links, such as a tunnel, which would “by far” be the “most desirable outcome”.
“In the interim having relief vessels for all routes is essential to ensure that all travellers to/from the North Isles are able to fulfil their travel as efficiently as possible,” she said.
North Isles councillor Ryan Thomson said last month that the disruption to ferries only serves to reinforce the need for an extra vessel in the council’s fleet.
The Yell Sound service has been down to a single vessel after a fault was discovered on one of the Daggri’s control modules last week.
Shetland Islands Council has also said that the Bluemull Sound route will run to a single vessel service from today (Wednesday) until Saturday 21 February, two days longer than expected, due to dry dock issues.
Shetland Islands Council has previously apologised for any inconvenience caused.
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