McArthur again challenges First Minister of RET start date

June 22, 2018 at 9:33 am

Orkney MSP Liam McArthur has reiterated his calls for the Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, to confirm the date for introducing cheaper ferry fares on Northern Isles ferry routes.

After a long-running campaign, Mr McArthur finally secured a promise from the transport minister last summer that the Scottish Government would introduce cheaper ferry fares in the “first half of 2018”. With just over a week to go before the midway point of 2018, however, there is still no formal start date for RET on Orkney and Shetland routes.

At First Minister’s Question Time yesterday, Wednesday, Mr McArthur reminded Nicola Sturgeon that on the eve of the Easter recess, he had asked her when people in Orkney and Shetland could expect to see the benefits of RET on northern isles ferry routes.

The Orkney MSP returned to the question at FMQs yesterday saying: “with still no confirmation of a start date, can the First Minister assure my constituents that RET will be introduced on our lifeline routes, as promised, before the end of the first half of 2018?”

In response, Ms Sturgeon indicated that negotiations were ongoing to provide assurances around the legal basis for introducing the scheme in the Northern Isles. However, she stopped short of giving a commitment to a formal start date and said that Transport Minister, Humza Yousaf MSP would update Parliament in due course.

After the exchange, Mr McArthur said: “It’s now ten years since this SNP government first introduced cheaper ferry fares on west coast ferry routes. Despite repeated promises, however, there is still no clarity as to when those using ferry routes to and from the Northern Isles will enjoy those same benefits.

“With just over a week to go before parliament goes into recess for the summer, Ministers are fast running out of time to deliver on the unambiguous promise made to islanders in Orkney and Shetland last summer.

“I will continue to discuss with the transport minister how this scheme can be delivered successfully in the Northern Isles, but people in Orkney and Shetland quite rightly expect the government to honour its commitment, at long last, to deliver fair treatment on ferry fares”.