Ferries cash crisis

Orkney and Shetland islands councils have for the best part of three years been trying to negotiate with the Scottish Government for a fair funding package to cover the revenue shortfall and replacement of their ageing internal ferry fleets.

All revenue shortfall and replacement of ferries operated by Calmac on the west coast of Scotland is fully funded by the government through Transport Scotland.

In Orkney, full replacement of the internal ferry fleet would cost in the region of £100 million, which is completely unaffordable for a small islands council. But Humza Yousaf, the transport minister, has recently washed his hands of the affair and considers no capital funding whatsoever to be fair funding.

Annual running cost deficits are only partly funded by the Scottish Government, leaving millions of pounds to be found by the island councils which could otherwise be spent on housing, schools etc.

The Western Isles and Argyll and Bute councils have no such charge on their budgets and capital costs for new ferries is fully funded by Transport Scotland.

This SNP Government are happy to spend huge sums on their own pet projects but when it comes to fair allocation of funds to ferry services in the Northern Isles, they do not want to know.

JACK WATT Strome, St Ola, Orkney