Commenting on today’s Scottish Government’s decision to issue tender documents to shipping companies wanting to provide lifeline passenger and freight service between the Northern Isles and the Scottish mainland, Isles MSP’s Liam McArthur and Tavish Scott said,

“The Scottish Government have finally issued the tender. The timescale is very tight indeed given the operator needs to be up and running the North Isles lifeline ferry services in 10 months’ time. It is essential that companies make constructive bids with improvements to the existing service. It must, in particular, recognise the growing freight volumes that are being exported south to the Scottish mainland.

“So the tender bids must be properly assessed to ensure the service moves forward and not backwards. And the endless saga of RET must come to an end, otherwise how can bidding companies submit a proposed fare policy?”

ENDS.

Notes to editors:

A Government Initiated Question was answered today. It reads:

 17 January 2019

Index Heading: Transport Scotland

Gail Ross (Caithness and Sutherland and Ross) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Government when the invitation to tender for the Northern Isles Ferry Services will be issued.

S5W-21050

Paul Wheelhouse: The Invitation to Tender for the Northern Isles Ferry Services was issued to the pre-qualifying participants at 14.00 on 17 January 2019.