Skip to main content
Site logo

Main navigation

  • About us
  • News
  • Get involved
  • Campaigns
  • People
  • Contact
Site logo

Jamie Halcro Johnston challenges new Transport Secretary on Northern Isles’ RET commitment

  • Tweet
Wednesday, 27 June, 2018
boat

Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has challenged the new Transport Secretary, Michael Matheson, to honour commitments made by the SNP on delivering cheaper fares on the Northern Isles ferry routes.

Former SNP Transport Minister Humza Yousaf had repeatedly promised that fares to and from the Northern Isles would be reduced by the middle of this year under a variant of the RET scheme currently operating on the Clyde and Hebridean routes.

However, the policy has been beset with problems following ongoing disputes with operators and, with the SNP’s own deadline only days away, there has still been no confirmation that the SNP will meet their own schedule.  

Jamie Halcro Johnston MSP said:

“The new Transport Secretary has just days to implement RET for ferry fares to Orkney and Shetland, in line with commitment made by his predecessor and after years of promises from the SNP.

“While I congratulate Humza Yousaf on his new role as Justice Secretary, we cannot let the SNP’s reshuffle be an excuse for them to dump long-standing pledges to our island communities or to kick them into the long grass.

“The constant delays we have seen regarding RET have caused real uncertainty in the Northern Isles and have left residents and visitors unable to plan journeys knowing what the eventual costs will be.

“I have written to Michael Matheson to encourage him to put delivering the RET scheme at the top of his in-tray and to ensure that, after years of delay, this commitment to the people of Orkney and Shetland is finally delivered.”

  • Local News

You may also be interested in

Jamie Halcro-Johnston

Jamie Halcro-Johnston

MSP, Highlands & Islands Region
Follow Jamie Halcro-Johnston on Facebook at @JamieHalcroJohnstonConservative, on Twitter at @jhalcrojohnston and online at https://www.jamiehalcrojohnston.org.uk/ where you can see what he has been doing both in Holyrood and around the Region, and see all his planned Constituency Surgery dates and locations.

Show only

  • Articles
  • Holyrood News
  • Local News
  • National News
  • Opinions
  • Reports
  • Speeches
  • Speeches in Parliament
  • Westminster News

Highland Conservatives

Footer

  • About RSS
  • Accessibility
  • Cookies
  • Privacy
  • About us
  • Get involved
  • Policy Forum
Site logoPromoted by A Anderson on behalf of E Mountain, S Mackie, J Halcro Johnston, D Cameron and Highland Conservative and Unionist Association, all at 109 Church Street, Inverness, IV1 1EY
Copyright 2021 Highland Conservatives. All rights reserved.
Powered by Bluetree