Western Isles MSP Alasdair Allan is encouraging Islanders to take part in the Community Conversation events being run by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar this week regarding a planned redesign of bus services.
Western Isles MP Angus MacNeil has written to Transport Minister Michael Matheson MSP asking him to act and bring changes to the booking system to address capacity issues on air services – as his colleague Islands Minister Paul Wheelhouse MSP has indicated he will do for ferries.
Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant has stepped in to defend air traffic controllers after it was announced that more strike action would take place on Wednesday 12th June and in light of recent criticisms in the media.
Highlands and Islands Scottish Conservative MSP Donald Cameron has said that the future of island and remote communities across the Highlands and Islands are being put at risk by uncertainty over vital transport links.
Loganair has taken steps to lessen the impact of industrial action by air traffic control staff at Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) airports, announced by the Prospect union for Wednesday, June 12th.
New ferries to combat capacity issues on Western Isles’ routes to the mainland are a long way off with no sign of further investment to build vessels from Government on the horizon.
Loganair has cancelled six flights to and from Stornoway on Tuesday 21 May as a result of the continuing “work to rule” action by HIAL Air Traffic Control staff.
A Lewis crofter has expressed her dismay at being forced to miss a poultry auction this weekend due to being denied vehicle space on either the Stornoway to Ullapool or the Tarbert to Uig ferry tomorrow morning (Friday).
The future of flight costs to the Islands was brought into sharp focus this week with calls from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Islands’ air carrier, Loganair, for Airport Passenger Duty (APD) to be cut for island flights which depart from the mainland.
A Lewis crofter has expressed her dismay at being forced to miss a poultry auction this weekend due to being denied vehicle space on either the Stornoway to Ullapool or the Tarbert to Uig ferry tomorrow morning (Friday).
A suggestion that the Western Isles could be linked by a series of bridges and sub-sea tunnels in the future, and that these would not cost the taxpayer, has been made by the region’s MP Angus MacNeil.
