Drop-in sessions to gather views on ferry service contract

The first of two consultation meetings on the Northern Isles ferry services contact takes place in Kirkwall today.

Transport Scotland is carrying out an appraisal of different options for the 2018 contract, which will detail the nature of ferry services between Orkney/Shetland and the Scottish mainland.

In Orkney, two public consultation events will gather views on the current and potential future service.

The first drop-in session, today, is in the Kirkwall Town Hall, from 4pm-8pm, with the second in the Warehouse Buildings, Stromness, tomorrow, Thursday, also from 4pm to 8pm.

Councillor James Stockan, chairman of the OIC’s development and infrastructure committee, said: “It is vital that as many people as possible attend these events as the contract will determine the ferry services Orkney receives from 2018 onwards.

“The ferry links to the Scottish mainland and to Shetland covered by the contract are of fundamental importance to the wellbeing of our community.

“When current contract came into effect, Orkney was the only area to see a reduction in the level of service we receive — with the loss of the middle-of-the-day crossings on the Pentland Firth route for a large part of the year.

“Let’s be bold an ambitious for what we want to see in the next contract and help ensure our external ferry links are fully fit for purpose for the years ahead.”