the Hamnavoe ferry coming into Stromness at night

Share Your Views on Ferries & Transport Links

There’s a chance, this week, starting today, 29th April, to share your views on the future of ferries and how they connect up with other transport links. The Islands Connectivity Plan (ICP)  will replace the current Ferries Plan. It takes a much wider look at transport:  including ferries, aviation, fixed links and, especially, the challenges…

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There’s a chance, this week, starting today, 29th April, to share your views on the future of ferries and how they connect up with other transport links.

The Islands Connectivity Plan (ICP)  will replace the current Ferries Plan. It takes a much wider look at transport:  including ferries, aviation, fixed links and, especially, the challenges facing the Clyde & Hebrides Ferry Services and Northern Isles Ferry Services.

Transport Scotland has in-person events in Orkney:

  • Stromness – 29 April at The Warehouse Buildings
  • North Ronaldsay – 30 April at the Community Centre
  • Eday – 1 May at the Heritage Centre
  • Kirkwall – 2 May at the Picky Centre

Drop in sessions are from 17:00 to 18:00 (no booking required), with workshops from 18:00 to 19:30. You can register for the workshops by clicking here.

This is  a long-term plan, to 2045, for the vessel and port investment considered necessary to address the key challenges of reliability and resilience. 

The consultation itself closes on 6th May. You can find out more information about the consultation and share your views by clicking on this link: Islands Connectivity Plan: Strategic Approach and Vessels and Ports Plan

Structured Workshop (1 hour and 30 minutes)

The workshop will feature small group discussions, each led by a facilitator from Transport Scotland. Participants will engage in three rounds of discussions, exploring key themes related to the Islands Connectivity Plan Strategic Approach and Vessels and Ports Plan. The themes are:

  • Community voice and transparency
  • Accessibility of ferries for people with disabilities or other impairments to travel
  • Integration of ferries with onward and connecting travel

Date Time Location Booking details

Monday 29 April 6pm to 7:30pm Stromness, Warehouse Buildings, 2-12 Victoria Street Book event in Stromness

Tuesday 30 April 6pm to 7:30pm North Ronaldsay, Community Centre Book event in North Ronaldsay

Wednesday 1 May 6pm to 7:30pm Eday, Heritage Centre Book event in Eday

Thursday 2 May 6pm to 7:30pm Kirkwall, The Pickaquoy Centre, Muddisdale Road Book event in Kirkwall

Drop-in Session No Booking Required

A drop-in session, providing an informal setting for community members to share their feedback and contributions on the Islands Connectivity Plan and the next Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract from 5 to 6pm, locations as above.

the Hamnavoe ferry coming into Stromness at night
image credit Kenny Armet

2 responses to “Share Your Views on Ferries & Transport Links”

  1. S Davidson Avatar
    S Davidson

    The irony of having to stay overnight in Kirkwall only to attend a session… for residents of several of the outer isles this irony is palpable… Transport Scotland has apparently arranged the times without having considered the impacts. And also failed to utilise the flexibility that Orkney inter-island ferries display on rare occasions when they accommodate for special events (for example funerals, sports events, agricultural shows and so forth) by an altered timetable and/or an evening sailing. Also needless to say that in modern times hybrid events should have become the norm, particularly if widening participation is an objective. Then the lacking ferry connectivity for travel to these events were not so important.

    For what it’s worth… personally I have the feeling that this kind of “participation” (albeit with practical impediments) is more or less just an appeasement strategy. After this exercise in participation the government can say “we listened”… well, do they?
    I remember, there was another (related) consultation in 2022:
    A Modern and Sustainable Ferry Service for Scotland – A major inquiry into current and future ferry provision in Scotland.
    I responded (as many fellow islanders probably also did) and raised for example the issue of lacking coordination between air and ferry services:
    “Also, ferry timetables should complement scheduled air services, currently they appear uncoordinated.”

    Absolutely nothing has happened… two years later… still islanders are often stuck overnight at their own expenses despite there being practical and cost-neutral (if done correctly!) solutions for different services that could complement each other.

    I am not sure whether I’ll waste time again … on another consultation. Particularly when the focus appears to be elsewhere.

    Reply
  2. Francis Edwards Avatar
    Francis Edwards

    How about Sanday?

    Reply

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