THE leader of Orkney Islands Council has written to the First Minister voicing “frustration and disappointment” over ferry funding. The move came as the independent community board at CalMac called on Scottish Ministers to urgently accelerate the process for a fleet and port investment programme for Scotland ’s west coast and islands ferries network.

Independent councillor James Stockan hit out at the Scottish Government in an open letter to Nicola Sturgeon, claiming the Orkney inter-island ferry service is underfunded compared to other routes.

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The council was able to lobby for an extra £5.5 million in funding for the service in the 2018/19 financial year and a further £5.3m was pledged during this financial year but Stockan’s letter claimed this was “insufficient”.

The National: CalMac ferry

The Scottish Government pledged in 2014 to ensure funding for ferry services does not “place a disproportionate financial burden” on local authorities, but Stockan claims that is what’s happening in Orkney. In his letter, Stockan said: “Orkney needs a long-term commitment from Ministers to provide full and fair funding. Unless this changes, Orkney will be left with the oldest fleet and highest fares in the country.”

The CalMac community board is made up of volunteer representatives of communities across the west coast and islands. It spoke out after the latest delays to the delivery of the troubled dual-fuel ferries contract.

Calling for investment, an updated assessment of growth in traffic and a 30-year strategy for services, the board said: “Recognition by Ministers that urgent action is required will go a significant way to reassure remote and rural communities across Scotland’s west coast and islands that their concerns will be addressed, despite the significant disappointment of the delays to the introduction of the two vessels under construction.”