Shetland Councillors Reject Ferry Funds

Councillors in Shetland have unanimously rejected a request from the Scottish government to contribute £25,000 towards chartering a ferry for three weeks to cover the Lerwick-Aberdeen service during the upcoming NorthLink Ferries drydocking. The rejection by the 15 members at a special Shetland Islands Council (SIC) meeting on Thursday made it clear that they they wouldn’t, under any circumstances, contribute cash towards the service or ever. They agreed that it wasn’t their responsibility to pay for the service, which was described by Councillor Gary Robinson as the equivalent of the islands’ M8 motorway.

NorthLink Ferries will drydock the ferry that serves the Lerwick-Aberdeen route for nine weeks, starting January 23. This will leave Shetland with only one ferry and a supporting freight service until late March. The council’s transport officials have been told to make the islands’ case to the government, with political leader Josie Simpson saying that they will make the strongest case possible to get another boat.

After the meeting on Thursday, Simpson said that the decision was unanimous that they aren’t in a position to fund the NorthLink Ferries service, as the organisation is run by the government, making the funding up to them. Councillor David Sandison said that a modified timetable should have been put in place to ensure the daily services if a suitable vessel couldn’t be found. Councillor Gussie Angus added that the government knew about the issue for months and didn’t make a contingency plan. Their request for contributed funds at this point is an odd way to operate a lifeline service.

For the future, the council is due to demand that measures be put in place to make sure that daily freight and passengers services are maintained year around. Transport head Michael Craigie is due to visit Edinburgh today to discuss the North Boats contract, and this other matter will be raised as well.

Scottish Transport Minister Keith Brown said a week ago that they had identified an additional £225,000 to charter the service. Then late Thursday afternoon, he said he was disappointed with the decision, as he was under the impression that chartering the Hebridian Isles was backed by many in Shetland. They have responded to concerns to try to reduce the period of the drydocking, and he was keen to working with the council and others to find a solution to the problem.

Brown added that chartering a CalMac vessel was backed by several Shetland stakeholders during his visit a week ago. The charter will be on top of the contracted services, so it will require additional cash, which NorthLink and the government were willing to cover most of. He’s made it clear that similar drydocking periods won’t happen again under the contract that he will be securing, and he reiterates that commitment. He is still keen, despite the Shetland Islands Council’s decision, to attempt to find a solution for passengers and freight users in the islands.