Ferry fare hike will increase islands’ cost of living 16/1/12/
Islanders face a huge hike in shop prices and a serious economic blow under the move to dramatically increase ferry fares for lorries it was warned today.
Under the new charges, from the end of March, hauliers would be charged up to 175% extra to truck essential supplies on a return trip between the mainland to the Western Isles.
Around 35 hauliers -
Two Scottish Government officials were quizzed by lorry operators during the heated 80 minute forum organised by MSP Alasdair Allan in Stornoway.
They were put on the spot to explain why campervans, which sometimes have a reputation
for contributing the least to the Hebrides’ economy will be subsided while an important
year-
To add insult to injury, subsiding outside travellers will increase the number of tourists’ vehicles with the consequence of squeezing lorries carrying local supplies out of ferry car decks say operators.
Returning to the former system of discounts for volume bookings may ease the pain for the largest operators but firms with only a couple of lorries will gain no kind of saving.
Hauliers are angry at the total lack of consultation at such a radical move and demand that transport minister Keith Brown suspends the axing of RET until a proper consultation towards introducing fairer charges is carried out.
Afterwards, South Uist haulier Norman Macaskill condemned the Scottish Government for attacking one of the “most fragile areas in Europe.”
He could “hardly believe any elected government would dish out such an unfair system.”
“No community in the Western Isles can sustain such an increase.”
Mr Macaskill didn’t think it was “about saving money at all” and compared the £1.5 million for lorries against the £8 million for tourism related traffic when the haulage industry provided a “bigger impact to the Western Isles.“
He added: “I don’t begrudge campervans coming here” but sought a fare scheme which did not disadvantage other ferry users.
Last night (mon) Donald John Buchanan of DJ Buchanan Transport in Benbecula said the Cal Mac booking system showed the price of a return voyage for a 17metre vehicle jumping from £276 up to a massive £758 in a few weeks.
Mr Buchanan said: “That’s a severe jump of 175%. The small operator is up against
it and there will be a knock-
He urged the Scottish Government to rethink the changes and introduce a scheme which was “fair across the board for everybody.”
He pointed out the new discount scheme will not help small firms in any way.
He added: “This will have a big knock-
Islands SNP Westminster MP Angus Macneil agreed and urged the Scottish Government to halt suspend “increases to ferry fares until a proper consultation is carried out.”
He highlighted: “The impact on removing RET will be a devastating blow to hauliers and will ultimately impact on every household in the Western Isles.
“It has now become apparent that the savings made by withdrawing RET from hauliers would be £1.5 million pounds, I am now calling on the Scottish Government to look again at this issue, with a view to perhaps Highlands and Islands Enterprise assisting.
“I strongly urge Keith Brown MSP, Transport Minister to come to the islands to meet with a group of hauliers and hear firsthand the devastating impact this proposal will have.”
It was an uncomfortable meeting for SNP MSP Alasdair Allan who is also a Scottish Government minister. He hosted the forum and heard his own government being bitterly criticised repeatedly.
Mr Allan said: “I have now conveyed the meeting’s views to the Transport Minister and asked him if he can meet with the representatives of those present.”