Inter-
The £31.40 fare for a single car and passenger across the Sound of Barra is now down to £13.20.
The same ticket between Leverburgh and Berneray is only £16.60 -
Ian Fordham of industry body, Outer Hebrides Tourism, is delighted with the introduction of RET on the routes.
Mr Fordham said: “Island hopping, travelling around the islands is a key part of tourism and the visitor experience in the Outer Hebrides.
Inter-
26 October 2015
Some “50% of visitor travel from one island to the other as part of their holiday and we see these new affordable ferry fares as being a great step to increase that proportion and get more people here.”
He added: “These fares are much, much more affordable and encourages people to make a day trip or short trip short they may otherwise have not made.”
Chris Ross who runs the Butty Bus at Leverburgh pier said: “This is the best news we had in a long time. This is going to open up the islands.
“Its a positive step for tourism. It will be in summertime when we will really notice it, “ with an influx of visitors using the island ferries due to the cheap fares," he added.
Western Isles MSP Alasdair Allan said “This is welcome news for the Western Isles
and represents a substantial 60% reduction in costs for people using inter-
“I have continued to raise the issue of fares on the Sound of Harris and Sound of
Barra since I was elected. Following the introduction of RET elsewhere, the inter-
“That anomaly has ended, and we have ensured better and more affordable transport links between our islands.
“This further extension of RET represents a massive and welcome on-
Isles MP Angus MacNeil said: “It is brilliant to see RET across the network.
“To many, the SNP being in power, and RET seemed a distant pipe dream, today both are a reality and RET is system that benefits everybody but benefits lower earners more and is socially just.”