Ferry fares frozen for six months to help remote communities

Fares on ferries serving some of the most remote communities in Scotland will be frozen for six months, the Scottish government has confirmed.

Ticket prices on the Northern Isles, Clyde and Hebrides ferry networks will be held at current levels from April until the end of September.

The move is designed to help people and businesses recover from recent disruptions to services.

Cancellations have resulted in issues with delivering supplies to islands.

Last month, a Holyrood consultation said provision of ferries for Scotland's island communities was "well below" reasonable levels.

And in June, a group of island community representatives vented their anger over unreliable ferry services to the transport committee.

Margaret Morrison, chairwoman of the Harris Transport Forum, said it had "reached an all-time critical situation".

Two ferries are being built in Port Glasgow but these have suffered serious delays and controversy over the last few years.

The fare freeze will allow state-run operator CalMac to release its timetables for April onwards.

Its chief executive Robbie Drummond said: "We welcome this decision, which will be good news for island communities.

"Now that we have the decision on the 2023 fares from the transport minister, we will be able to complete the work required on our systems to enable us to open bookings.

"As previously announced, we will open bookings as soon as possible and certainly before the end of January. The opening date for bookings will be advertised very shortly."

Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth said: "The Scottish government is acutely aware of the particular challenges faced by our island communities, where the ongoing cost-of-living impacts are arguably more challenging than in any other part of the country.

"Ministers are also mindful of the disruption on the ferry network in recent times - particularly in relation to the Clyde and Hebrides network.

"This fares freeze is the right thing for our island communities and I hope it will go some way to encouraging tourism this summer as island businesses continue to recover from the pandemic."

Ms Gilruth added that the government would consider fares policy in the longer term as part of both the Island Connectivity Plan and its wider fair fares review in a bid to address the needs of Scotland's islands.