A GROUP representing Island communities which rely on ferries in Scotland has slammed the Scottish Government’s decision to increase the price of fares.
On Monday, the Scottish Government announced ferry fares across Scotland will increase by 10% next year.
Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop (below) said a fare freeze which had been in place this year — at a cost of about £10 million — would be “too challenging to continue” given the financial outlook facing the Government.
A board which represents islanders has condemned the Scottish Government’s decision, saying the move affects the most vulnerable in society.
The Ferries Community Board (FCB), facilitated by CalMac — although it operates separately to the CalMac board — works to provide the community view on ferry services to CalMac.
Representatives from up to 12 different communities make up the board, which called on the Scottish Government to work more collaboratively with local groups when making such decisions.
'Decision has been trumped by balancing budgets'
Angus Campbell, chair of the FCB, said the board was “disappointed and surprised” to hear of the fare increase.
“It is particularly disappointing that this increase has been decided with no consultation or impact assessment but applied by decree,” he added.
“The move towards more collaborative decision making and the application of the principals of the Islands Bill in terms of islander community impact assessment have once again been forgotten when they are inconvenient.
“Island communities and businesses have suffered socially and financially over the last number of years due to lack of investment and poor decision making.
“It is now ironic that they are being further impacted with a 10% increase following the 8.7% increase that has only recently been implemented in 2024.
“This affects the most vulnerable in our islands including the young and those with families at a time when universal free travel is protected elsewhere.”
Campbell said that the Government needs to work better with local organisations to make decisions which “bring better outcomes for all”.
He added: “Islanders know there is a difficult economic environment to deal with but have long argued that inclusive and collaborative decision making would bring better outcomes for all.
“Many local groups and communities have invested significant time and effort working towards that principal which now seems to have been trumped by balancing departmental budgets.”
