Gavin Morgan

5 June, 2008

PLANS for changes to Shetland’s inter island ferry fares have been shelved due to ever increasing fuel costs.

Shetland Islands Council’s ferries board is facing a shortfall of more than £1 million in its 2008/09 budget for marine diesel to run its 12 strong fleet.

At a meeting yesterday (Wednesday) the board decided it would be “impossible” to offer recommendations on fares due to the fuel situation.

Councillor Caroline Miller said: “It would be irresponsible of the ferry board to push forward changes affecting the delivery of the ferry service because of this huge hike in fuel costs.”

It was also decided that the board would recommend to the infrastructure committee that a report on all available options to cover the budget shortfall be put to the full council by August.

Councillor Josie Simpson said: “It is up to infrastructure to come up with ways that they can plug the gap.”

It was with regret that the long awaited consultation on ferry fares had to be shelved, but members said the report on the issue contained “excellent information” and it would be used again.

Mrs Miller said: “I was terribly disappointed. This has been a really, really in depth consultation looking at all aspects of fares.”

Meanwhile Shetland MSP Tavish Scott has urged the Scottish Government to subsidise bulk freight on coastal shipping services to cut the high cost of fuel in Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles.

Mr Scott, in a letter to the first minister, said: “It should be a straightforward exercise to offer financial support to the coastal tankers delivering oil to the three island groups in return for a matching reduction in the shipping charges.

“The support could be directly linked to the tonnage of oil delivered, so that it would be clear by how much a litre price should drop at the pumps.”

Recently a litre of diesel in Shetland has been costing up to £1 a gallon more than the cost in Aberdeen.

“The reduction in the cost of fuel at the pumps in the islands would make a worthwhile contribution towards reducing the price difference between the islands and the Scottish mainland.” Mr Scott added.