McInnes: Government must support ferries

5.17.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 29th Aug 2008

Commenting on the Scottish Government's announcement that it has commissioned a review of ferry services in Scotland, Liberal Democrat Transport spokesperson Alison McInnes MSP said:

"Ministers must use this review to look into ways of supporting the ferry industry, which like many industries in Scotland, has been hit by soaring fuel costs. Ferry services are lifeline links to many remote islands and they must be preserved and supported.

"In its own review of ferry services, the Scottish Parliament's Transport Committee made some recommendations that could be implemented without having to wait for this long-term review. I will be looking to the Transport Minister to introduce these suggestions, such as investigating ways of speeding up the process of approving small uncontroversial timetable changes. This would allow changes to be implemented quickly and with less bureaucracy.

"Although the Minister has announced some small changes recently, I am concerned that he is citing budget pressures as a reason for not following through with others. Good responsive ferry services are key to building more diverse communities and encouraging families and young people to live on our islands."