ISLANDERS have expressed anger at the Scottish Government’s announcement that ferry fares will increase from next year, calling the move “death by a thousand cuts”.
On Monday, the Scottish Government announced that ferry fares across Scotland will increase by 10% from next year.
The decision has been slammed by some islanders, as Rhoda Meek – Sunday National columnist and Tiree resident - said “life is getting steadily harder for islanders”.
“I'm not seeing the Scottish Government following through on its concerns about depopulation. Quite the opposite.”
READ MORE: Ariane Burgess: SNP must reverse plans for unfair ferry fares hike
Meek said the cost of a return from Tiree to Oban with a vehicle will cost almost £200 once the increase is in effect.
“I drive a pickup. For £200, I can drive to Bristol and back and have change,” she added.
In Orkney, where ferries are mainly operated by NorthLink and Pentland Ferries, passengers look set to spend just shy of £150 to get a return from Orkney to Caithness – a journey which takes approximately one hour and 30 minutes.
Islanders can apply for resident cards which give them a discount on ferry fares. The Pentland Ferries discount works out at 40%, while the NorthLink discount is 30%.
“Islanders should get deep discounts as their needs are different than the tourists’ needs,” one Orkney resident told the Sunday National.
Meanwhile, a return journey from Shetland to Aberdeen – which can take up to 14 hours – for one passenger with a car is set to rise to almost £400, although residents can also apply for a discount of 30% with NorthLink.
Elsewhere in Scotland, locals might not feel such a dramatic impact, such as in the Small Isles – Mallaig, Eigg, Muck, Rum and Canna.
READ MORE: How to subscribe to The National for £10 on our 10th birthday
To get from Eigg to Mallaig, a return ticket for a single passenger would increase to £10.45 – a journey which takes around one hour and 20 minutes.
Camille Dressler, chair of the Small Isles Community Council, said she did not expect the fare increase to have a major impact on residents because only locals can use the ferry with their vehicles and there are no private companies delivering goods.
She added that the introduction of the Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) – a Scottish Government policy that sets ferry fares based on the cost of traveling the same distance by road, plus a fixed amount to cover costs – has helped to keep prices down.
“It is the cost of freight that is a killer for many island businesses.”
She added: “What is really required is a new look at the way RET is applied to the islands, with the strain it generally puts on islander travel versus holiday-maker travel, and the CalMac freight delivery structure: This is where we need to have a more level playing field.”
READ MORE: Surge in Scottish independence support predicted after Alex Salmond's death
Dressler called on members of the CalMac board to visit the islands and the harbours their ships serve to gain a “more realistic understanding of the way their fleet operates and of the islands’ needs”.
“We need on the CalMac board people who have a working knowledge of ferries and islands and the way ferry operation impacts on people's livelihood,” she said.
“This is a point eloquently made by the chair of the CalMac Ferries Community Board, Angus Campbell.”
In a statement on Tuesday, Campbell said that he was “disappointed and surprised” to hear of the fare increase.
“It is particularly disappointing that this increase has been decided with no consultation or impact assessment but applied by decree,” he wrote.
“The move towards more collaborative decision-making and the application of the principles of the Islands Bill in terms of islander community impact assessment have once again been forgotten when they are inconvenient.”
The new prices will take effect from January 1 on the Northern Isles network and March 28 on the west coast.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel