Transport / ‘A huge improvement’: lie-flat pods get thumbs up from Armitage
LIE-FLAT pods are a “huge improvement” on NorthLink’s usual sleeping pods, Green councillor Alex Armitage has said.
Armitage has also said that he would like to see all of NorthLink’s remaining pod lounges converted to house horizontal sleeping pods instead.
And if they do, he added he would like to see one of the pod lounges then dedicated for women only – to increase safety for women onboard.
Armitage has long called for a cheaper alternative for solo travellers to be able to lie flat and sleep on the Northern Isles ferries.
Yesterday NorthLink unveiled its new horizontal sleeping pod lounges – one on both Hrossey and Hjaltland – which contain 18 pods.
The pods move electronically from a seated position to a horizontal one, and they are located in pod lounge two on both ferries.
Among those invited to try them out on Friday included councillors.
Moraig Lyall, who chairs the SIC’s environment and transport committee, said in a post on social media that they seem “very comfy” and offer a new option for passengers.
Armitage said: “I’m so pleased to see the introduction of these horizontal pods, which I hope will lead to a significant increase in the number of folk able to get a good night’s sleep on the north boat.
“These pods are a huge improvement on the previous pods which felt cramped; I found them impossible to sleep in.
“I’ve been pushing NorthLink for many years to do better on horizontal sleeping options on the north boat, and I want to pay tribute to Stuart Garrett, Billy Robb and their team for listening to feedback from Shetlanders and taking action.”
The Green representative for Shetland South said he expected that the new pods would be a “big hit with many folk”, adding he hoped the remained pod lounges would also be converted to lie-flat beds instead.
“Once this has happened, I would like to see one of the pod lounges allocated for women only.
“I have heard feedback from many women who feel unsafe in the existing pod lounges, particularly given the availability of alcohol on the boat and the fact that there are often fellow passengers who are intoxicated.
“The arrangement of the pods in the new lounge does help, there is more spacing between people and folk will not have to climb over one another in the middle of the night.
“However, I do think a whole lounge that is available exclusively for women would be a further improvement.”
Armitage added that the Green Party “will continue to work with Northlink staff to make further improvements to our lifeline transport services”.
“We look forward to more progress in months and years to come.”
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