HIAL Impact Assessment is ‘too little, too late’ says Comhairle

HIAL announced last week that consultants would be appointed to carry out a study into the impact of Air Traffic Control centralisation on Island communities.

HIAL says its proposed £28 million investment in a centralised air traffic management system is necessary to “future proof” its operations in Scotland against a background of business challenges including staff recruitment and retention, increasing regulation, and increasing pressure on costs.

The new remote operations centre would be located Inverness, which was identified as the preferred site following staff consultation, and would be responsible for air traffic management at HIAL airports at Sumburgh, Dundee, Inverness, Kirkwall and Stornoway.

But the Comhairle has highlighted that there will be a significant loss of jobs in the Islands and that the proposals demonstrate a lack of commitment to Island communities.

Cllr Uisdean Robertson said: “This looks like a paper exercise. The point is that this will have a major adverse economic impact – we don’t need consultants to tell us that.

“Surely any meaningful study should have been carried out before the decision was taken in order to inform the strategy rather than pay lip service in a desperate attempt to show that HIAL has concern for Island communities.

“It is too little, too late. The legislation on Islands Proofing was designed to prevent exactly this kind of disregard for Island communities.

“Whilst we are still waiting for guidance on Island Proofing I believe this centralisation process is certainly against the spirit of the legislation.”