MSP’s anger at ferry replacement proposal

Orkney MSP Liam McArthur has reacted angrily to the announcement that the Hamnavoe may be replaced by the Hebridean Isles on the Pentland Firth over the forthcoming refit period.

The formal proposal emerged following discussions between Shetland Islands Council and the transport minister, Keith Brown, in Shetland on Thursday, with the SIC being asked to contribute to the cost of chartering the Hebridean Isles.

Mr McArthur said: “[The minister’s] talk of not wanting to pit one community against another in the Northern Isles rings rather hollow, as this is exactly what he has done by the secretive and underhand way in which he and his officials have gone about dealing with this issue. At no stage were representatives from Orkney invited to take part in discussions of undeniable importance to these islands.

“Under these proposals, Orkney would be left with a longer, more uncomfortable and less reliable service on this key lifeline route. This is to be paid for, in part at least, by a contribution from Shetland Islands Council, which receives significantly more per head of population than OIC. Not only is this a dangerous precedent to be setting, but adds insult to injury to those in Orkney who will see our service diminished as a result.”